Page 504 - Melanesia

RAINBOW PASSAGE: One of the most colorful barracuda, bump head parrotfish, tuna and

dives in the Solomon’s, this site offers sharks, turtles. More experienced divers can venture

turtles and teeming fish life, plus an impres- deeper with their experienced guides, who will

sive array of corals (including the seldom seen ‘call’ sharks closer. Species seen here include

“green coral trees”), gorgonians, sponges Grey reef, Black tip and White tip reef sharks at

and invertebrates. The dive features a large all depths, plus the chance of dramatic encoun-

underwater plateau beginning at 7 meters ters with Hammerheads and several very large

and sloping down to 30 meters. While diving silver tip sharks deeper on the drop-off.

around the plateau you come to a drop-off at

25 meters. There you find a forest of black coral SUSU HITE: Located off the island of Kundu

and a few sandy patches where black tip and Kundu. The site is good for those people mak-

grey reef sharks are sure to make an appear- ing their first training dives. There is a long

ance. Napoleons also inhabit this area. Further beach stretching in the direction of Munda.

along there is an area abundant with elephant The reef starts at 5 meters and drops down

ear corals. Currents can be strong guaranteeing to about 35 meters. There are plenty of sandy

a large variety of fish to encounter. areas where student divers can practice their

recently acquired skills and enjoy the abundant

SHARK POINT: Dropping off an incredible 4 variety of marine life. Looking into the blue,

kilometers into the Coral Sea, this site lives up divers are likely to see schools of mobola or

to its name with sharks, huge schools of fish, other rays.

pelagics and eagle rays. At the end of a reef

protruding over a mile into open seas and THE LIGHTHOUSE: is a wall dive that drops

bordering on a 600 meter plus drop-off, Shark straight down to 65 meters. There are huge

Point can be dived at any depth from 10 me- numbers of gorgonians and soft corals that

ters to 60 meters. Shallower dives offer pristine adorn the wall. Known for a variety of sharks

corals, large schools of fish including snapper, patrolling the wall.