En route for Ngatokae Island, the KUNA had all intentions to stop at Mary Island (Mboroko) for some diving on the steep walls of this inhabited island, 22 nm of the Russel islands North shores. There is no anchorage there, except on a small patch of reef on the north west side of the island, which apparently is OK in constant SE winds. The bay to the South offers no protection from the SE swells but may be explored in NW weather season.
Also called Mboroko, Mary is uninhabited and covered in dense rainforest but pigs were once upon a time introduced on the island and have had a very destructive impact.
A private mooring is there, but unfortunately it was occupied by the dive charter boat Bilikiki (buggered up the timing, they come once a week!)
… Talking to divers from the Spirit of Solomons( the other ship that uses the mooring), I later found out that a medium sized saltwater crocodile lives out there, they encountered it while diving in a fairly open area, even that far out and with cliffy volcanic shores that really aren’t croc habitat!!!
So KUNA continued on to Ngatokae Island, hoping to make the remaining 32 miles in time before nightfall.
Ngatokae is located at the extreme South East of the New georgia group and faces the South easterly weather. Strong winds got KUNA fast in sight the cliffy shores on the weather coast. As A tall swell grew, compressed between Mbulo Island, Malemale Island and the reef shore of Ngatokae and KUNA was soon surfing down 3m waves in this passage bordered by a reef on the South West side of MaleMale.
It was tight to get inside the lagoon at 6:30 PM as the night was falling behind the 1000m Mt Mariu, and for once the traditional Solomon navigation marks were quite useful in marking the 4m deep passage: two very large buoys are to be lined up and not confused with the yellow mooring buoy and the red cone beacon (yes red!) that indeed marks a very shallow reef. Leave it well to starboard when going in.
Here is another view of the passage from inside the lagoon looking out
Well, best is not to enter this lagoon at dusk but that was all right! Some ships do it in the peach dark!
KUNA at rest in Peava lagoon
S8° 47.172 E158° 13.872
The best anchorage is found in 20m of water to the north of the lagoon. With 60m of chain and the anchor dropped slightly more towards the reef side, KUNA had plenty of swinging room in every direction, mostly for SE trade winds. Cherry on the cake: the bottom is SILT!!! The lagoon is incredibly protected and only a slight swells rolled the KUNA at high tide, even when 2-3m runs through the channel outside!
This Google Earth photo was a blessing to get in late in the day!!!!
