I was the only diver taking the afternoon’s dive at Uepi Point, Uepi Island in the Solomon Islands. Simon, the divemaster, explained that it was a current dive. “We’ll descend to 35 metres, swim to the point then hold on to some coral. The sharks hang there in the current to feed.”

“Not on us, I hope,” I joked feebly, trying to act cool.
I’d swum reasonably close to reef sharks before, but that didn’t stop me feeling fairly nervous at the prospect of meeting Uepi’s sharks. The island was home to many varieties of sharks — even hammerheads. I didn’t have to wait long for my first close encounter. The instant we reached 35 metres I looked ahead to see a whaler shark swimming lazily beside the coral wall.

It approached our inlet and got within three metres of us — the Jaws music thumping unbidden in my head the whole while — before it slid past and continued patrolling along the wall.

We followed its course, eyes darting in all directions to try to absorb the colour and movement all around us. There were darting fish and magnificent coral formations everywhere.

A shoal of yellow tailed barracuda darted across our path; a few moments later we were surrounded by hundreds of tiny blue fish that sparkled with light as their silvery undersides pointed in our direction.

A huge fan coral, almost three metres across, shimmied in the current, and 10 metres below a white tipped shark nosed around in the depths.

We reached the point where the current was swiftest and hung on to a rock.
There were even more fish here — perhaps because, on this occasion, there were no sharks waiting to gobble them up.
Not to worry — I saw plenty of other sharks during my next two dives at Uepi.

Even snorkellers can see them. The coral wall along the island’s edge reaches up to within a metre of the surface, allowing people to rest in perfect safety in the shallows and enjoy the view stretching far below, sometimes the visibility often exceeds 30 metres.

Yet there is much more than fish and coral for divers to see in the Solomon Islands.
The islands were the site of some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific during WW II, and it was here that the Japanese experienced their first reverse at the hands of the Americans.

North of Guadalcanal Island is a stretch of sea called the Iron Bottom Sound, so called for the hundreds of ships and aircraft that were sunk here.
Some wrecks are down at 50 or more metres. These are all in pristine condition and it is a mecca for advanced and technical divers. Other wrecks break the surface of the water.

Shallow enough for snorkellers and scuba divers alike are the Bonegi wrecks, a few metres off the coast of Guadalcanal, where you can still see cases of ammunition and a 75-mm gun.

The best wreck dive I did was to the Toa Maru, which is sunk off Gizo Island in the Western Province. It’s a 140-metre-long Japanese freighter resting in 18 metres of water at the bow and down to about 40 metres at the stern.

I was in a much larger dive group this time and the divemaster had to work hard, making sure everybody stayed together and pointing out objects of interest — including coral-encrusted crockery, unopened bottles of saki, shell casings, books and shoes.
We all carried diving torches for our entry into the hold of the ship and as soon we went inside it immediately became pitch black.

We needed the arcs of light from our torches to pick out coiled cables, eerie crevices, disappearing passages and the outlines of meandering fish.

Mia, the divemaster, led us through the hold to a huge, gaping hole in the hull, the entry-point of the torpedo that sunk the Toa Maru. Growing from one of the jagged edges was a fan coral that was beautifully backlit by the light streaming down from the surface.
Gizo is one of the best bases for diving in the Solomons, with dozens of top sites within an hour’s boat ride of the town. Yet scuba diving is only one of the attractions of the country.

It also has pristine forests, deserted beaches, friendly people and an interesting, vibrant culture. They don’t eat people or hunt heads any more, but some customsthat are a world away from those of Western society still exist.

It only receives a few thousand visitors a year, but those who make it there discover an untouched jewel of a place.
I left the Solomon Islands knowing, that one day, I would return to this paradise.

Fact File

Language: Most islanders speak Pijin English which is easy to pick up. It is thought there are also around 100 local languages. Scuba Diving Operators: There are about six operators in the islands (providing full diving equipment), as well as several “live aboard” dive craft.

Accommodation and food: The Solomons is under-developed for tourists. Accommodation is only available in the main towns and in a few island resorts like Uepi.
Restaurants are even more scarce and you’ll often have to cook your own food. The guesthouses usually have a kitchen.

Getting There: Only regional flights go to the Solomon Islands. The main carrier is Solomon Airlines and flights only go to the capital city, Honiara, on Guadalcanal Island.
The most convenient place to pick up a flight to the Solomons is Nadi, in Fiji, or Brisbane. Normal fares are expensive, but if you’re starting out from Europe you can buy a “Visit the Pacific Pass” which makes regional travel fairly cheap.
Getting Around: Getting around the Solomon Islands is by ship or plane. Most schedules start from Honiara. Ships are a great place to meet islanders, while the small local planes (eight to 12 seaters) provide stunning views of the islands and lagoons.