Through the Diamond Narrows

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!!

Jericho Harbour, Kula Gulf, New Georgia

Oct 5th
Jericho
S8º 07.398 E157º 19.989
The winds have died overnight but there was nothing more satisfying than lifting up anchor without starting the engine and slowly exiting Mbaeni harbour at 2 knots of speed! Creeping along to round the NW coast of New Georgia, a few surprisingly large buildings appeared: the churches built by the CFC (Christian Fellowship Church). Tacking in light winds in the Kula Gulf, a nice flat body of water that lays between Kolombangara and New Georgia, KUNA took 6 hours to cover less than 20 miles.


Cloud formation over Kolombangara


The valley into the crater of the Kolombangara is clearly visible

Didn’t get to go to Paradise (another very populated CFC village) this time as a huge squall helped creeping another few miles:

The clouds accumulated over New Georgia generated just enough wind for KUNA to make way at first, then suddenly picked up to 15 knots, getting KUNA to 7 knots of speed in zero visibility due to bucketing rain!! Far too fast near the harbour entrance of Jericho. Though there are no boats around, the unsurveyed reef areas are always a daunting prospect but the entrance was wide and straight.

The soundings in the middle of the channel on Dirk’s Sieling guide are accurate but the mud bank comes up very quickly just beyond the village so slow down and drop the pick in about 7-10 m to keep some swinging room! Very few yachts visit this village so the excitement of the kids on the shore was huge.

Arriving in Jericho...
There is no privacy to be had as this anchorage, which is just 100 m off the village. Just a good stopover and fruit and veg can be traded but watch that the kids don’t try to sell the golden papaw for 30 or 40$sols!!! Soon enough the KUNA was surrounded by a cohort of young men in canoe. The turkey brain age, they call it here: 12 to 25 years old, these just didn’t have much conversation so everyone sat quietly looking at eachother in the eyes, but all were good and didn’t ask for anything, they were just happy to be near the yacht. I’ve got used to that uncomfortable silence from shy visitors by now, and later a few educated women came to have a chat. There is a local canoe builder there too, who was very curious of the plastic kayak.

In the morning, the women depart for Noro market, with a cargo load of vegetables

Matiu Island, Morovo Lagoon

The next few entries (read from bottom to top in the blog) relate details of a fast-ish passage along the 120 miles that separate Ngatokae Island all the way to Lola island in the Vona Vona Lagoon, via the north of the New Georgia Group.

Oct3rd 2008
Matiu Island
S8 29.667 E158 08.732


After first attempt to depart for Kolombangara, following the more picturesque southern route, via the Hele Bar and Blanche Channel to Rendova island, the KUNA rediscovered how uncomfortable it is to ride a bumpy sea with virtually no wind. A light southeaster (yes SE trades had come back that day after two months without wind!) was blowing but 8 knots were not enough to prevent the rig from bashing going down wind with occasional a 2 m swells.


Some large logs lost by the logging barges: something to no run into!

After a couple of mile of this, the KUNA turned around, opting for the more boring northern route around the New Georgia group, which has flat waters all the way and the same winds!


Stew has speared a barracuda and waves it good bye


After letting thew KUNA showing off in front of Peava with the red spinnaker, the winds died off and progress was slow: 18 miles achieved to get to the Kokoana Passage, which gives access to a variety of anchorages inside Morovo lagoon, including Matikuri Island, which has a nice sandy beach, and a hide in the lagoon behind Matiu Island, the closest to the passage.


Hide behind Matiu.

Nice and open anchorage, anywhere in the green (sand) with a nice breeze, the tongue of reef which extends NW on the right of Kokoana passage can be crossed through visible darker gaps in the reef, with a minimum depth of 3m, avoiding ovious brown bommies! The marker to bring in transit with island edge described in Sieling's guide does not exist anymore.

Chart SI07 (solomon Island survey, available in HOniara) shows some of these places in more detail though the survey is still imcomplete for the outer barrier. Eyeball navigation country, good for kites!!!