Stunning Savo

After about ten weeks in confined to an area no further than 30 minutes from the base at which I work, I was given permission to go away overnight. This was really exciting because although Honiara is quite exotic and interesting, its also filthy and noisy and fairly crowded. We decided to go to the island of Savo. An active volcano, Savo sits just 14km out from Honiara in Iron Bottom sound. Though close by, it was exactly the change we were looking for. No roads, no cars, no noise.

We were picked up first thing in the morning by a betel nut chewing local who drove us out to the western end of Guadalcanal, oposite Savo. From here two young guys took us by the ubiquitous outboard motor boat across the sound to the island. The Western end of Guadalcanal is where the mountains come right down tothe sea so the view back as we motored out was very impressive. Almost immediately the sea changed from a vivid turqoise to an inky blue as the sea floor plunged to a depth of 800m, shallow by Solomons standards where much of the seabed is at 5000m.

Cape Esperance, Western Guadalcanal

Preparing to go - Savo in the background

On the way across we were treated to one of natures true oddities, flying fish. I thought this was an exagerated name for fish that jumped out of the water, not so. Those little bad boys really fly! They're only about 15cm long and as you speed along at about 40km/h they leap a short distance out of the water and keep up with the boat, flying along with their little fins for at least 10 seconds before plunging back down. They're also almost impossible to photograph.

Savo is roughly round, about 5km across and comprises hundreds of monumentallt steep ridges and valleys all pointed towards the middle. Our destination was Sunset Lodge, nestled at the base of one of these hills. The "resort" is owned by Sir Alan Kemakeza, one of the Country's previous Prime Ministers who, in typical Solomons fashion, is having a short stay at Rove Prison for embezelment. It has an open leaf house for dining and 20 rooms set just behaind up the hill. As we were the only guests we chose an upstairs room overlooking the sea.

After putting our stuff in our room and soaking in the absolute serenity we got back in the boat to go around to the southern side of the island for a guided walk to the source of a thermal stream. On our way we went past a natural breeding ground for dolphins. As we motored around tens, if not hundreds of dolphins began leaping out of the water and following alongside the boat. They're also impossible to photograph.

Though active, the volcano hasn't erupted since the late 1800's (when it killed most of the inhabitants). It does, however, emit a constant stream of hot water and sulphurous gas. We walked inland from the beach up a dry riverbed which quickly became a gully completely enclosed by jungle. After a short while the stream, which soaks into the bed before it reaches the sea, became evident. Even here, some kilometers from its source it was luke warm. The walk got steeper and steeper and the gully narrower until we were climbing rather than walking. All the while the stream got hotter until I couldn't dip my fingers in it without it stinging (though of course I continued to do so regularly out of interest). By now the stream was steaming, which in 100 percent humidity is no mean feat. We sweated like we have never sweated before.

As we approached the top of the walk all vegetation disapeared in the gully, replaced by yellowy white sulphurous sand. This added another element of difficulty and interest because the ground was now so hot you couldn't touch it either for any length of time. Infact the local bury food in the earth here for a brief time to cook it. Vents spued revolting gas into the air and puddles of water bubbled. I'm sure the humidity had reached at least 120% (no, really!). It was like walking on the moon. A very hot, steep, stinky moon.

In the afternoon we wandered through the Sunset Lodge's neighbouring village. It was an idillic little community set just back from the shore. Almost all the houses were traditional leaf houses. The only industry appeared to be copra drying, fishing and sitting around. unfortunately, as is the case with many villages, a number of the houses were empty as people found it necessary to go to Honiara to find work. People we spoke to were really looking forward to christmas when everyone would return and the village would be whole again. Pigs, dogs and

Drying copra

children ran wild through the village. The children's playground (other than the beach) was a giant banyan tree in which they played a three dimensional version of hide and seek. It was possibly the largest tree I've ever seen.

The giant banyan tree with Rachael at its base

Several of the villagers work at the Sunset Lodge and as they all seem to have several children there was a constant little tribe of kids playing on the beach. They ran up and down and splashed and frolicked for every daylight hour without cease. It was a great floor show. We noticed after a while that, despite the use of sticks and consatnt jumping off rocks, in all that time not one of them got hurt and none of them bickered or fought for a moment. Regularly the older boys would take it in turns to come down to the beach and entertain them with canoe rides. Older children play a really central role in looking after their younger siblings in a way we seem to have forgotten. Children at play - today's toy a piece of foam ripped into pieces for everyone

In the evening we watched the sunset and it became obvious where Sir Alan got the Lodge's name.

On our second day we spent quite a bit of time lazing around and reading. We did, however go for a paddle in a dugout canoe out over the coral just infront of the Lodge. We also paddled out further to some men from the village who were diving for fish. It was quite amazing. One man (and his son) would sit in a canoe while a couple of others free-dived down with home made spear guns. They must have been diving to at least 10 meters and staying down for over 2 minutes. Their canoe had the most colurful array of fish and giant clams I've ever seen.


All too soon it was time to get back in the boat and head back to Guadalcanal. I had been thinking that if we were to go on holiday in the Pacific again we would probably go to somewher like Fiji in preference to the Solomons. Tourism is still fairly embryonic here and franky, Honiara is not the greatest advertisement for the country. However, having now got out and seen a little bit of the real Solomons, and with Virgin Blue starting cheap flights next month I would seriously reconsider.