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“GET LUCKY “ - UEPI ISLAND RESORT DIVE REPORT November 09

It had been a while since I had dropped into Inside Point before breakfast. Probably because on any recent early morning dives I had chosen to join the “Mantasizing” snorkelers. I have to admit cruising amongst a family of friendly Mantas before breakfast is hard to beat. But this morning we planned and prepared to do some promo filming so we decided to use tanks as a Gates FX1 housing is a bit awkward for snorkelling. But the mantas were not at home so we were all dressed up with nowhere to go! Then returning, with only a hundred metres to the Dive Shop, we approached Inside Point, which was looking so… soo… sooo blue it was irresistible. Down to the sand at 25m and I asked myself why I was not here every morning. Some of the prettiest fans ever were perfectly displayed on a varied canvas of coral wall! Above me myriads of fusiliers & other smaller fish swarmed on the sky blue ceiling. The usual predators were present but subdued, so it was a slowly moving panorama. Obviously both Jill & Josh were equally spellbound as we all drifted, barely finning, with smiles on our faces. The colour was outstanding.

I deviated slightly into the ‘cove’ and looked for small critters amongst the mass of black-corals, sponges, ascidian colonies and erect soft corals trees. Barramundi Cod, Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Moorish Idols, Banner-fish, amongst others sheltering here, were mildly nervous as I cruised past not moving or exhaling. The next 30m of sheer wall just has to have as much invertebrate life crammed on it as is physically possible. This section gets a fair bit of current hitting it at times, which means nutrient, filter feeders and fish. It is also a prime breeding aggregation site for Greasy Rock Cod and several melted into the labyrinth of passages, which they take refuge in. The current increased a little and swept me around into the channel proper. From here to the Welcome Jetty schools of female Bumphead Parrot fish swirled up and down and around, with a few larger males unsuccessfully trying to get their attention. An eddy required me to fin a little as I headed back to the Dive Shop. I startled a large Maori Wrasse with a massive Bumphead sitting together quietly under a ledge at 3 metres. They hoverised as I did my best to glide past a meter away without spooking them. At Shark Bombie the Blacktips began to buzz me, then the Grey Reefs until there were many. At the Welcome jetty a huge mass of “Boomer” hung like a giant cloud. I became absorbed in trying to get a photo of the Bluefin Trevally bursting through them every so often, but was never in the right spot at the right time. Its moments like these when a re-breather could be worth all the trouble and expense. Suddenly my regulator tightened and with a surprise I realised I was late for breakfast which was being served 30 metres away, and that I was about to exhaust my 63 cu.ft of air. That was a great Manta Dive!

Two days ago it was Elbow. The viz was fairly poor above 20m but the fish were buzzing. The ‘AIR’ wireless function on my dive-computer failed yet again so I ended up going shallow & after 45 minutes I was working my way at 12m along the overhang back towards Elbow Caves. Sometimes you get lucky and this was one time. Settling to inspect a large red fan for pygmy seahorses, shrimps or whatever, I adjusted the manual settings on the D20 just in case something big swam past. I began to search, holding my breath so as not to send air bubbles disturbing the overhang above. Then as if on cue 10m away a good-sized Hammerhead appeared coming straight at me, just cruising. He was unconcerned as I slowly moved towards him getting some nice shots. Luckily I was using my wide angle as the macro lens had flooded. I was having trouble fitting him in the frame so pulled my eye away from the viewer - got a bit of shock just how close we were. Good thing the Hammers are friendly. A couple more shots & I watched him slowly glide away. Some time ago, when I flooded my Subal - 2 seconds into a dive complete with a new (2nd hand) D20 body on maiden dive - I lost my macro lens. A ‘purchase’ of an as-new lens on eBay resulted in some criminal getting richer but that’s all. With eBay unable /unwilling to help I will definitely never use eBay again. So being restricted to a wide –angle can be a bit frustrating but eventually you get lucky & when you do it tends to be exciting.

A month or so ago the Octopus were very noticeable, mating, fighting, feeding, not caring much about divers. Then a period of shyness as only octopus can. The last few days has seen them become extrovert again. Check out Jill’s video of an Octopus sparring with a fish on the Uepi Facebook.

Last Uepi News I mentioned we had an adventurous Sea-kayak Expedition planned. It was adventurous & plenty of fun. The Group Leader will return next November with another bunch of paddlers to paddle more or less the same route, maybe with even more adventure. The weather did not fully cooperate, being glorious sunny days as they paddled from Uepi to the southern Marovo over brilliant reefs, but hitting them with a severe storm as they left Marovo Lagoon for an Eco-lodge on a more exposed coast. They retreated to the lagoon having had one capsize & being battered a bit, part of the fun. Having regrouped we decided on “Plan B”. Most nights they camped at fantastic sites which meant they enjoyed campfire cooking, watching the stars, isolation. Some nights they used Eco-lodges. Several nights were spent in the Bapita & Penguin reef area, which most of our divers experience on our day trip & love. If anyone is interested in Sea Kayaking talk to Lee & Rhonda on info@uepi.com & see www.kayaksolomons.com.


Kayakers with dolphins	Kayakers at Bapita

Whilst camping with the kayakers at Botuana, also known as Wickham Island, I met with the landowners who resolved some local matters & we are now able to dive the Wickham Wrecks again. The 4 WWII freighter wrecks are well worth a look if you are a wreckie. This is usually done as a day excursion diving 2 of the wrecks, which are all upright on level bottom, about 28m to the top of the superstructure & about 40m to the keel.

The BBC series “South Pacific” has now been screened & creates a great trilogy with “Blue Planet” & “Planet Earth”. The Solomons features a lot, including some great aerial footage of Kavachi volcanoes erupting which made me rethink why Jill, Robert & myself dived it one day, the Eel fish at Mbiche, Solomon war canoes, and the Tayio Tuna Boat pole fishing sequences Peter, Rodily & myself assisted with. Other bits of Uepi filming snuck in here & there too.

Along with the brilliant years diving, a highlight has been the growing involvement & support from our guests for the increasing numbers of community projects we are involved in. More details of all these projects can be found on www.uepi.com.

• MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. As I write we are supporting the “Help A Friend Foundation” medical team in the middle of two weeks of clinics around Marovo. This has arisen from a diving holiday at Uepi two years ago when Allan & Suzanne Daly realised how much the people of Marovo needed assistance with upgrading medical services. This is the third medical team to visit since then & these will continue along with the upgrading of Seghe Hospital. One fantastic result is that HAFF were able to fund almost all of their huge supply of medicine purchases they have brought with them on this trip by fundraising auctions of carvings donated by carvers at our Uepi carvers day. Other guests such as Gold Coast dentist Tony Gan also hold clinics whenever they visit. Pharmacists Mike & Pam Carter in NZ send lots of medicines. Dr Chris Hannan continues to provide valuable medicines, plus advice and local educational aid.

• SCHOLARSHIPS. The “Education Scholarship Scheme” has grown amazingly thanks to many generous guests. Briefly, donors support a child at a Secondary School. About 40 children are being support at various levels. Dr Chris Hannan is supporting the Patakae Secondary School to function, as government funding is minimal.

• SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS Due to continued statements from the Education Dept & Aid donors that the schools had textbooks we had to expose the truth that they do not. Jill & son Jason (Marovo Lagoon Sustainable Timber (MLST)) are completing a survey, which is already proving that textbook resources are pitifully low in Marovo, no surprise in that result. Some schools have basically none. At the Woodford International School in Honiara previous Uepi guests (Lucy & Don the Headmaster) are having students - as part of their Community Service activities - scan the textbooks, as this will be one way of getting texts to the schools. They have also provided surplus texts, which will help also. Along with this many Uepi guest continue to donate exercise books, pens, pencils etc.

• VSAT Under the auspices of the South Pacific Commission an Internet communications system suitable for remote & relatively poor communities has been initiated. Uepi along with a high level of support from guests have been involved. Recently a delegate from the ADAB confirmed that the Patakae VSAT is the ONLY successful pilot program of its type. Sustainability is the major issue (not surprisingly). What has Patakae VSAT got that others have not? Answer UEPI & MLST. Our support has relied upon invaluable contributions from guests. Mike & Vicki Diemar have been outstanding with strong support from Amelia & others.

• GENERAL DONATIONS have continued but large donations from guests such as Colleen & Tui have been hindered by the politics of Honiara. Clamping down on Duty thieves & corruption has made such genuine donations a bureaucratic nightmare, whilst doing little to stop corruption if reports are to be believed. Once again the rural people suffer.

My apologies to anyone who contributed but was not mentioned specifically, thank you. The growth in support for these projects in 2009 & the difficulties encountered, along with a lack of opportunity to take advantage of Donor Aid opportunities, convincingly urges us to form our own NGO. Hopefully in 2010 we can do this to streamline & develop our community involvement. Thank you all of you who have supported our projects in 2009, you are our inspiration.

Finally a new Project just commenced; “ADOPT A CLAM” Based in Nasatupe, World Fish are responsible for the Pacific Clam Project. For many years the technology to spawn & produce clams has been available, but getting that technology into commercial use has been woefully slow. Now World Fish have begun that translation. Uepi has joined “Adopt A Clam” & have begun the process to restock our reefs. We have a lot to learn, especially about deploying the clams into the best home sites in the wild, but that is part of the fun. Next time you visit Uepi you might just decide to “Adopt A Clam”. See the Uepi Facebook & our Uepi website.

One of our fun successes this year has been the Uepi Facebook which complements our very ‘hit upon’ website.

Visit www.facebook.com/uepiislandresort & www.uepi.com

We hope we get lucky & see you at Uepi in 2010

Wishing you all a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS & HEALTHY NEW YEAR
From Grant, Jill, Josh, Jason, Wesley, Lee, Rhonda, Colin, Lockie, Ben,
John, Peter, Margaret, Deliva, Joe, Rodily, Rabagnaki, Lamae, Belinda, Meibani, Venina, Donald, Judy, Aeram, Harry, Jukili, Janita, Naolyn, Bobbie, Silas, Julie, Malachi, Danny, Davis, Francina, Miriam, Ande, Nose, Kemuel, Tuili, Boyce, Wicklass, Moses, William, Kilent, Marshall, Joseph, Richard, Agnes, Melissa, Jepila

DIVE THE DREAM...
Uepi Island Resort - Marovo Lagoon - Solomon Islands
Visit our website www.uepi.com
For information contact "Tropical Paradise"
E-mail info@uepi.com
Phone 61 (0)3 9787 7904

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We sincerely wish to thank the following people for use of their photographs in our website:

Peter Lange, Peter Pinnock, Oceania Films/Matt Guest, Eric Cheng, Fred Bavendam, Andy Belcher, Manuela Kirschner, Louise Murray, Roberto Rinaldi, Mark Strickland/Oceanic Impressions, Jill Kelly, Grant Kelly, Wes Kelly and Jason Kelly.