Passing through Noro, New Georgia

terns chasing a school of bonito


Sailing in the Kula Gulf today was another lesson of patience, though the KUNA was pushed in the lightest breeze on these flat waters. Yet motoring was unavoidable to go through the harbour town of Noro, home of the Solomon Taio, the national tuna canning factory, which was mostly owned by Japan until recently.


The fishing fleet of Solomon Taio is rotting away tied to the wharf.


The tuna fishing fleet is in a rather advanced stage of delabrement ( these ships are no more than 25 years old but have not been maintained) but the factory is still functioning, employing 700 people (it used to be 3000, mostly women, canning tuna for 100 sol$/week!). The factory explains the unusually large population of Noro.






This philipino fishing boat, distinguished by the double outrigger arrangement, is part of a new initiative providing the local community with a light and less costly to run alternative fishing vessel other than the Solomon Taio fleet. The crew may catch just a few fish a day on single line and deliver to the factory. That's enough to feed their families and provides extra to the cannery. MOst of the Tuna is now exported to Europe.

Noro is the main town in New Georgia, a truck ride away from Munda, which has an airstrip and many large cargo, fishing and logging ships clear customs into the country there.



There is on custom officer (Michael Filao) but he is reputed for his unreliability, being found drunk or on the betelnut and corrupted by malaysian loggers. So if Ghizo immigration is open (which it is not at the moment) a trip there is worthwhile. KUNA did not stop in Noro, but many yacht suggested to raft with the Tuna boats (which don’t go anywhere) and keep someone onboard to prevent people boarding!

There is mobile coverage and broadband internet at the Telekom building in Noro. Internet in Munda is still dial up, as I discovered when I tried to post this blog!!

Mbaeni Harbour, New Georgia

Oct 4th 2008-10-06
Mbaeni Anchorage
S8º 02.584 E157º 36.167

As most of the passages in/out of Morovo, Nggerasi and Toghovae lagoons, the Kokoana passage to get out of Matiu is deep with little current and steep reef edges. Navigating inside the lagoon is possible with lots of time.
The further north one goes, the murkier and less attractive the lagoon waters become. Lumahile passage and Charopoana passages near the resort island of Uipi also give access to interesting anchorages with good diving on the outer reef but beyond these locations, nutrient runoff from the logged slopes of Vangunu and New Georgia did not give much prospect for exciting diving.


yet another ship full of logs




A large flock of frigate day enjoy the wind!!

Winds have been so rare in the last month that the opportunity to sail 10-15 knots SE trade wind in flat waters today was not to be missed and the other locations mentioned above may be a stopover for later. 43 miles sail, an easy 9 to 5 day (yay!!!) led the KUNA to the very end of the Toghovae lagoon system, then the wind died. The lagoon gets very shallow but is connected to a deep harbour called Mbaeni, which is adjacent to the previously famous Lever harbour, whose entrance is a little further to the NW.


The entrance to Mbaeni Harbour is wide and deep, a stick to the left marks a shallow reef fronting a small island with an abandoned village. Best anchorage was found further in from the village in 17 m of mud, towards the river at position S8º 02.584 E157º 36.167. The bank raises rapidly to shallow mud after that. Few canoes came by but fruit and veg trading was possible, though exorbitant prices may be negociated!!