Tricked out kayaks Hitting the water - Wavelength Paddling Magazine

Solomon Islands
way the chief would have dug into his
clam stash to save a white man; rather,
he would’ve been carving into him with
a large knife. Oddly enough, some of the
missionaries actually wanted to end up as
main courses, believing they would die as
martyrs and thus gain a quicker passage to
heaven.
If the missionaries had looked at
Marovo Lagoon, they might have realized
heaven was already in sight. Its crystalline
waters teem with sharks, manta rays and
fluorescent fish. Rainbow-colored reefs
form ethereal underwater worlds, while
secluded white beaches make what’s above
the surface just as magical. The main mode
of transport here is kayak or canoe. And
for most of my seven-day sojourn with
Raba, I traveled by kayak to explore the
mysterious backwaters of paradise, and to
uncover the area’s grisly headhunting past.
MY JOURNEY began from an
island shaped like a hammerhead
shark arching its back. Uepi Island is a hub
for adventure seekers and the best place
in Marovo from which to embark on a
guided kayaking expedition. And paddling
is the best way to explore this vast aquatic
playground.
It’s not long before Raba has forged
ahead. We’ve been dropped off in the
Mbili Passage, a forty-five minute boat ride
from Uepi. Once the passage ends, we’re
u
Top: a traditional welcome to the Solomon
Islands. Above: paddling in the mangroves of
Bapita Passage. Background: taking a break.
WINTER 2010 WAVELENGTH MAGAZINE 15