Only one word to describe this place. Idyllic. We spent an amazing couple of days with the dingy, a fishing line, and the mask and snorkels. At the southern entrance to the sound we found amazing clear snorkeling on some of the reef drop offs. The largest, most plentiful and varied reef fish we’ve ever seen. Even within the sound black tip reef sharks cruised over endless coral gardens.

We stopped at the eastern head of the sound to watch a pod of dolphins teaching their young uns how to swim. They brought their flipper out of the water but forgot to stop flipping through the air. Pretty cute watching them splash down on top of the water awkwardly. Some of the bigger dolphins cruised up to the dingy and rode the bow wake for a while, obviously checking us out and protecting the little guys. Then the babies started practicing their aerials. Definitely an ‘I feel lucky to be alive’ moment. Dolphins always seem like they’re having a whale of a time, or I guess a dolphin of a time? Waaa didn’t take the camera that day.

And a few more sailing into Honiara. An easy overnight moonlit passage from Marau Sound.