highplanesdrifters

GH010165_ALTA576854578815981488.mp4 Njari, Solomon Islands A little shaky, sorry.

Njari, Solomon Islands Another nice snorkel. Top spot? Hmmmm. Nonetheless, very pleasant. The Coral surrounds the island and we were given plenty of room to stretch out. Easy to avoid the noodle brigade which seems to snorkel in a pack as if the noodles are linked with invisible noodles. Many folks walked around the island on a nature walk. I understand they heard a parrot. Some people even saw it. Lovie was almost trampled in a rush to photograph it. After our snorkel we walked around the island. We were alone most of the time. Another perfect day on a perfect little island. The welcome committee. He did not dance or sing. Nor did he carve anything. Cheese Ball Coral - you can tell I missed breakfast. Let me know when you tire of the blue stars.

UP NEXT Njari, Solomon Islands Njari is a small island almost entirely covered in trees with just a small sand spit at its eastern end. A labyrinth of reefs and coral heads make an approach quite difficult. Recently a small wooden jetty has been built on the southern side. The small beaches invite one to relax but swimming from the beach is almost impossible as the corals are too close. To enjoy the underwater world one has to enter the water from Zodiac snorkel platforms a short distance from the shore where an amazing array of fish and coral will be visible. Two hundred and seventy nine different fish species have been seen during a single dive the fourth-highest fish count ever recorded. An indication of why this island is considered a top spot for snorkeling in the Solomon Islands.

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Mbili Island Sound on so you can hear the chorus of laughter from the schoolchildren next to us. Silversea donated kayaks to the school to aide the children in their fish counts. I also saw a dozen 50# bags of rice being unloaded. The ship Nurse was doing wellness checks. So much goes on behind the scenes. 20230503_141453.mp4

Mbili Island A good bit of fun. 20230503_141217.mp4

Mbili, Solomon Islands A very warm and heart felt welcome from the beautiful tribe. The schoolchildren greeted us with leis and the carvers were out in full force. My oh my these are next level carvers. The area was lined with at least 30 carvers showing their goods. We strolled around before the dances. Now that we've broken the purchase seal it's all in. Oh lordy, what are we thinking, we never buy stuff like this. Demonstration

Thanks much Terry. Just upgraded to a Go Pro 9 black, and really like it. I had been using a GP 7 which I found at the bottom of the ocean in Turks.😃 This one is so much better. Larger screen so I can actually see what mode I'm in. Longer battery life, big plus. Didn't feel like I needed the higher models as my career as a millennial streaming influencer never really took off. 🤣

THAR SHE BLOWS!

GH010119_ALTA576854578815981488.MP4 MBILI ISLAND

Mbili Island, Soloman Islands A few pics from our snorkel. A very long shelf with a dramatic wall. Can never get enough of the blue stars.

Exciting! You will love the Venture or Pursuit. We have booked the 40 day Guam to Valparaiso for September 2024. After the first week on this itinerary I'm still excited to do more on this trip and next year.

Must have been an amazing experience. Thanks for sharing. Maybe I need a pointy hat.😃

It will be more than a drink! 😉

Thanks so much for posting this. It worked! I owe you a big one.

Thanks @Port Power just getting her warmed up for you! Sea day tomorrow. Will write more about the fantastic job Silversea are doing.

NEXT UP Mibli Island, Soloman Islands A very remote island not often visited. We have high hopes for the snorkeling in Marovo Lagoon. It is the largest saltwater Lagoon in the world, surrounded by extinct volcanic islands. It is noted for its high bio diversity. We are said to be getting a welcome reception and then off to a snorkeling platform. The ship will be positioned where the cloud is in the center. I think the island was made by aliens. Love me some maps. Sorry about the creases. Mbili is located near #30. We forget about the vast distances between islands.

The less than ideal snorkeling is a combo of: not the most interesting Reef, a bit of garbage, not a lot of fish, and some damage. The dancers are painted. The orange/red with mud and the dark with charcoal. Still trying to find out what the pointy white hats are all about. Nice to hear the dances are universally entertaining. One always worries about a canned tourist preformance. Amazing how we slip in so easily and become part of the tribe. Their daily lives are interrupted by a little merry making and trade. We are much richer for it.

Santa Ana, Solomon Islands There are numerous explanations about who's who in this dance. We're hoping to learn more from our local Solomon guide. For now we are going with the explanation below.😃 The mud men are supposed to be Polynesians who come to the island take the local women, but are driven away by the Melanesians. There is a definite pecking order among the Pacific peoples, and the Polynesians see themselves as being the top rank. The Melanesians see things differently. The female part is usually played by younger hip thrusting seductive ladies. We tourists are not allowed to see that. Instead we get the grannies. You can hear the local laughter in the background as they see family members in a different light. Quite an interesting dance. 20230502_090145.mp4 20230502_090458.mp4 20230502_090608.mp4

Santa Ana, Solomon Islands Explorer has shifted out of the Coral Sea and into the Soloman Sea. Slipping into this little bay under cloudy skies, we are happy for the break from the intense sun. The locals were out in full force. We find a very busy little village preparing for our arrival. Known for its excellent carvers and a blond gene. Let's begin with some sheer JOY! This will never get old. 20230502_105921.mp4 The Carvers. Thanks goodness I am in the 'no more stuff phase'. Never mind. These are too cool, and only $20. Which one did I get, Pigboy or Batshark? A cruise ship grounded not far from here. The locals make good use of the dinning chairs.🤣 The snorkeling has been lacking. But, there are always a few interesting bits to find. Let's not forget we are in the South Pacific, in 86 degree water, it is wet, and I am happy. GH010055_ALTA576854578815981488.mp4 Welcome dances to come.

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UP NEXT Santa Ana, Solomon Islands Port Mary is the name of the bay adjacent to Ghupuna the main village in Santa Ana. A bright white sand beach with huge shade-giving trees runs along the shoreline in front of the tidy village. The houses here are made with local materials and most are built on stilts. Islanders generally welcome visitors with traditional songs and dances performed by members of the three different villages on Santa Ana. Some local people will also set up stands offering souvenirs for purchase. The Solomons are best known for strings of traditional shell money and elegant carvings based on local stories and legends.

Thanks all for your kind words. Sorry about the audio/visual issues everyone is having. @5waldos There are very few masks anywhere. Our host on Pentecost had one on though. @WesW Thanks Wes. You sre the master, so I'll take any tips you have. I do have a new system. I've started posting videos separately after most of the information. I edit them to under 10 seconds, less bounce backs. I can do other things while the download is happening. Still takes time, but not all consuming. Posting helps me to organize along the way. Especially to Edit out junk, and collect my thoughts. Thanks all for following!

Another band for my big party. 20230430_141115.mp4

A bit of snorkeling. GH010019_ALTA576854578815981488.mp4