South of Noro is a special passage between New Georgia and Arundel (Kohingo) islands called Diamond Narrows. The channel is no more than 50 m wide and generally between 20 and 50 m deep (or more because KUNA’s old sounder doesn’t register much deeper really, with steep coral reefs on either side. Before it was logged, 20 years ago, it was actually a sheltered tunnel under a thick rainforest trees canopy. Surprisingly, for such a deep and narrow channel, there was no noticeable tidal current. With both sides of the narrows being very protected bodies of water and such small tides, horizontal water movement is minimal here.
S8º 15.607 E157º 11.683 is good to line up the northern entrance, the shallow reef extending to starboard is currently marked by a stick. Unsurprisingly for the Solomons, some large ships sometimes travel through the passage, even at night.
the navigational marks are as usual are very obvious: here looking south, look out for the stick, duly marked as a beacon on the chart!Whilst the men were rushing through the channel by motor canoe (gotta watch those bends as rules of the road don’t apply here!), all women are steadily paddling their dug out, singing and smiling.
A few miles further south, after exiting Diamon Narrows, another couple of miles got the KUNA to the entrance of Vona Vona lagoon. Staying on a straight line along the starboard shore going south, some small reefs were easily avoided. Because the light dropped rapidly in this late rainy afternoon, navigating the Vona Vona lagoon will be for tomorrow.
S8º 17.374 E157º 12.153: anchorage just north of Nusapate island, 20 m sand and coral. Deep but protected from all directions, really these lagoon waters are a chill out!!
