Honiara, Botanical Garden, July 2009

Together with our Friend Pierre, we went to the botanical garden. It’s behind the prison, you can not miss it.

It’s a nice relaxing and cool place. Unfortunately the place got damaged as political strike was on. The orchids disappeared from the garden and lots of plants got cut by bush knives.

On the way back we had a nice overview from the beaches and in the back ground we could see the yachts anchored.

We were planning to exit Solomon at Santa Cruz Islands, and head to the Banks in Vanuatu. Customs in Honiara told us that there was nobody there to clear us out there and second, the winds were against us. So we decided to make it strait to Luganville Espiritu Santos Vanuatu.
We didn’t see much from the Solomon’s because of the delay we got in Davao waiting for the autopilot.

Honiara Solomon, second half of July.

We arrived in Honiara July 18th and anchored at 9 o’clock on the West side of Point Cruz where the Yacht Club is, stern to the water breaker.

The entrance of the Bay is quite narrow with reefs on each side. A red buoy marks the reef edge on the port side.

It was Saturday as we cleared in. As you exit the Yacht Club, turn left, and follows the street close to the Fuel tanks. At the crossing, turn left and follows the street that turns right at the end. In the curve, you will see a Custom Office. It’s not there, but just opposite in the building with yellow doors.

Take the left one, inside Custom is the second door left, Quarantine are at the next two doors. Bring your garbage they will take care of it.

Custom fees where 101.-SBD and 30.-SBD for over time.
Quarantine fees where 150.-SBD for ship clearance, 70.-SBD for garbage disposal and 36.-SBD for overtime.

We had to wait Monday for the Immigration.

On the way back, on the right side you will see a fast food, then comes a freezer place where you can buy all sorts of meet, and next is a liquor store were you can by duty free alcohol on departure. Ask for the procedure at the counter it takes some time for the paper work. What you ordered will be delivered to the Yacht

If you keep walking strait ahead you’ll join the main road. ATM is at the corner on the right. Opposite the main road are diplomatic representations, we asked for Pui a visa for New Caledonia at the French representation, and we were told that it takes 3 weeks because they have to send the passport to Port Moresby in PNG.

To go to immigration, as you exit the Yacht Club, walk strait up to the main street. Take a right, pass the round about, keep on strait and you will find the office at the right side, opposite is the Post Office. Immigration fees where 100.-SBD.

Honiara is the capital of Solomon Islands. There is no problem for provisioning and outside town in the industrial zone you can find spares. Take the KG VI bus.
Same direction then the industrial zone about 15min walking from the Yacht Club is the market. On the way back you will find the calcium source (ice-cream) Frangipani.

Internet is easy to find. It’s in the big blue building opposite the main road coming up from the Yacht Club. Petrol station is just at the corner. For gas, walk up to the main road, take a left. 100m on the left is a shop who sells kitchens. They fill you the bottle the same day if you bring it in the morning.

Behind the Post Office is a street parallel to the main road. Walk 5 min westwards and you will find Nicky Fast Food place.
To and Lamun are from Thailand and make excellent meals. Pui was very happy to meet them and it was my turn to listen to them talking without understanding any word.

I had some doubt about the efficiency of my SSB radio. We met Mike and Jan on Don Henry. He is a Ham enthusiast and came with is tools to have a look to my setting. As we were undergoing the tests, it came out that the PL259 connector needed to be resoldered to the cable. Now everything works fine, thank you Mike.

We also met Pierre from Quebec on Vesper 3. I love French Canadian language and we enjoyed his company.
It was longtime we didn’t come across other Yachties to share experiences. We had a nice time.

On the way to Salomon Island, July 2009

We cleared out July 9th for the Solomon’s Islands. Weather forecast was predicting light SW so we decided to head to Gizo.

As we were progressing weather changed to strong SE on the West side and weaker on the East side of Solomon Islands.

So we passed North of Bougainville to face the SE and we started to tack with on one side current with us and on the other side the current against.

The result was that we were hardly progressing on the rumbline. Then Strong SE was forecasted on the East side, weaker on the West side, so we managed to pass inside the Islands between Bougainville and Choiseul to have it a little bit more comfortable, Pui would say less uncomfortable.

We had the visit from out friend the dolphins.

Dozens of them were playing at the bow of the yacht. It’s an endless ballet you could watch too for hours.


Then we had light E to SE winds and we motored our way strait to Honiara we canceled the landfall in Gizo.

At night we could enjoy some land breeze to rest the engine. As we arrived in Honiara the wind picked up again.

833 miles done in 9 days with an average speed of 4 knts. We motored 109 hours (4.5 days).

Mioko Island July 2009

15 miles NE of Rapopo Resort is Duke of York Islands. Passing between the Credner Islands we encountered strong currents and had to take care about the reefs surrounding them. The bay in the southern part is a magnificent sheltered place with crystal clear water and tremendous landscapes. We saw many dolphin swimming in the bay.

On the Mioko Island lives a community that welcomed us, and in company of a guide we could visit the place.

The kids were very joyful. The place is very well maintained and walking thru the bush we could see ruins from earlier foreign settlements.

As on many of these Islands water is a big concern, we were asked to contribute for the purchasing of water tanks, what we did with great pleasure.

We spent the week end there and went back to Rapopo’s place to make our self ready to continue our adventure.

Japanese Tunnels, beginning of July 2009

Rabaul was occupied by the Japanese during the WWII form 1942 to 1945.

It was an advanced base for them to progress in the Pacific. They were regularly bombed by the Allies stationed in the Vanuatu. The bombers could just make it to Rabaul, and for the survivors to get back.

The Japanese used local people (slaves) and prisoners to dig 6m of tunnel per day per team to get sheltered from these bombings. More than 300km were hollowed out in this time.

Again thanks Rod we could join Sarah’s family for a ride and Rod brought us to unbelievable places. First we went to the hospital place close to the beach.

Locals brought us thru galleries crossing each other on multiple levels coming together at a point. You could easily get lost. Looking at the walls they did a very nice digging job.

The second part was quite exiting. Rod drove us up the hill; we past the observatory, stopped in the middle of no were and walked thru the bush to get to a small entrance we had to crawl in.

Ones inside, we made our way to find the stairs bringing us up to an observatory place sheltered from the bombing and get to the exit.

They were stiff, about 45 degrees. At the beginning the ground was soft and you had to dig in your nails not to slip.

Later we found concrete steps to walk our way up. It was much easier.

From the top we have nice over view of the harbor form the bunker a tight tunnel brought us out the hill.

Ones again thank you Sarah and Rod for letting us shares with you this other magnificent journey in your company.

On another occasion we went to the barge tunnels. Along the shore close to the hills, tunnels were hollowed out to shelter up to 4 barges.

These barges were used to carries supplies from the ships to the shore; they were put on rails and pulled into the tunnels.

Ralamanmkia walk end of July 2009

Rod invited us to join Sarah with her parents Robin and Cherry and her daughter Brigit from Australia for a walk close to the Tavurvur volcano.
When you arrive on site, the landscape is breath taking, and the roaring of the volcano gives you an idea of his temper.
The air is thick and ash falls around you.

It’s like a snowy day in winter time at home, just colors and temperatures don’t match.

Sam, a local guide with his assistants joined us for a walk up the hills. We stopped at the edge of an extinguished volcano. 5 km away we could feel Tavurvur’s activity. The walk was not easy, some times the ground was fragile and your foot would disappear up to the knee is the ash.

We made it slowly but surly up the hill and sat for a while looking around. One of the local went down the crater of the extinguished volcano to immortalize the event in the ashes.
The way back was quite fun, you could ski down hill if you had a set. Divers take theirs equipment with them, may be you can take your skies.
People will look strangely at you at the airport for sure!




Opposite the active volcano is Matupit Island (less than 3km away). That's were Sam leaves. The Island is a village; just a little bay separates then from the foot of the volcano.
After the 1994 eruption the government relocated the people leaving on the Island. The new location being too small, some of them came back and settled again on the Island.
The last time the volcano erupted in 2006, they had many earthquakes the day before and the inhabitants of the Island had time to leave the place and get shelter in the hills behind Rabaul. They lost everything under the ashes. I asked Sam if they have an evacuation plan, how it is organized. He didn’t give me an answer . . .


When we came back, we were covered with ashes. Avoid light colored clothes. Be careful with medical glasses, mine got stained, and I can’t get if off.

After the volcano walk, Rod drove us around and we went up the hill to the observatory. From there your have a nice over view auf Rabaul.




On the left side at the edge of the bay is what is left from Rabaul after 1994’s eruption. Center and right is Rabaul today. In SE winds, the city gets covered with ashes.















These two pictures taken before and after the last eruption gives an idea what the volcano spits out when he gets angry, and this is just ashes.

Thank you Sarah, thank you Rod for letting us shares with you this magnificent journey in your company.

Complementary info about clearance in Rabaul

If you arrive from East, there is in Honiara Solomon Islands a PNG consulate to get a visa. If you clear in Rabaul from over seas without a visa you will be asked to pay visa fees of 200 PGK for the captain and the same amount for each crew on board the yacht. It is also said that: “yachts staying longer than 2 month are required to loge a security on their yacht equal to the duty on the yacht’s valor”.