Honiara - Docking
Docking in Honiara
Anchoring
To avoid most of the swell that comes into the bay here, it’s best to anchor on the eastern side of the harbour, with a line ashore to the semi-submerged fishing boat. See the port map below, kindly provided by Hilde Larsen. Take care here as there are many uncharted wrecks.
M – Mooring (private – belongs to Breakwater Cafe).
P – Police dock.
F – Fishing dock (fishing vessels are dangerous as they are not respectful towards boats on anchor).
A – Yachts can anchor in 17 m with shoreline tied to the wreck.
As well as the Breakwater Cafe owning a mooring – they also have a small slip in front of the Cafe that can be used by yachts (see bottom of photo above with slip indicated by an arrow).
Yachts do also anchor swinging free near the yellow mooring ball on the West side of the bay.
Other cruisers report anchoring off the beach between the last big red buoy and the no anchoring zone.
Free anchorage is available at Point Cruz near the Yacht Club, however, swinging room is limited by the reefs and the manoeuvering room required for the patrol boats at their wharf.
Anchoring stern up to the sea wall seems harder than it used to be, as this space is currently taken up by local charter boats who have their own moorings laid off the seawall. There is also a big dock in the middle that takes up a fair amount of space. Anchoring and stern tying to the sea wall still looks possible, but probably for only 2 or 3 boats.
The depth in the bay rises quickly to the reef. The bottom is a silty/sandy mix which, many times, has proved to be very poor holding ground.
Be aware if you choose to anchor on either the west side or in the middle of the bay. Strong winds come up quickly, for no apparent reason, from the North or North East and cause total chaos. It is not advisable to leave the yacht unattended.
Anchoring is possible either side of the point, the most suitable depends on the wind direction.
Mooring Buoys
There are two moorings available on the western side of the harbour.
One is yellow and operated by the Point Cruz Yacht Club. Be careful when approaching it as the reef is not far behind. This side of the bay gets a lot of swell so it may be quite uncomfortable on the mooring. Be sure to check with the YC when it was last inspected.
The other is owned by Fred Douglas of the Breakwater Cafe (see “M” in port map above). If you take a stern line ashore to Fred’s Cafe, this will keep you pointed into the swell. Ask permission, and you can leave your dinghy at Fred’s dock.
Safety
There is significant motor-canoe traffic in this area and security may be an issue at night. As with many anchorages, it is advisable to hoist one’s dinghy out of the water and to lock it to the boat. The engine and fuel tank should be locked to the dinghy as well. Loose items should not be left on deck at any time. It is advisable to return to your boat before dark. Hiring a local you know and trust for security may be advisable.
The dinghy dock is reported to be secure as long as you lock your dinghy and outboard.
Last updated: November 2023
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Related to following destinations: Guadalcanal, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Port Navigation
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One the SE corner of Guadal Canal Island is the islands of Marapa. They are some of the most beautiful we have visited anywhere in the South Pacific. We strongly recommend a visit.
Pai Pai island is a truly stunning anchorage! Great sandy hold, well protected from the SE trades, well protected from swell, calm, flat and clear waters and stunning island and sand bars. There is a strong current at maximum tidal flow. It is very much worth staying here.
However, as everywhere in the Solomon Islands as soon as you arrive you must ask permission from the land owner. If you fail to do this you may find yourself in a very uncomfortable confrontation and not feel safe.
The land owner of Pai Pai Island island is the Tarakau Tribe. Your contact is Joaquim Pehu or, more easily to find, his sons Joaquim and Brown. Don’t wait for them to come to you, go and find them with some gifts and ask for their permission. They live nearby on Tawa ihi Island at 9°50.444’S 160°50.732’E.
We formed a good relationship with the Joaquim and his sons and felt safe the whole time we were here. We did stupidly leave a bag unattended on the island and a local sneaked through the bushes and stole 2 iPhones. We told Joaquim and he made sure they were both returned to us within less than 24hrs. Don’t leave anything unattended in the open!
A great contact here is Elijah at Conflict Bay Lodge. He can be contacted in advance at conflictbay@gmail.com. Elijah can be totally trusted. He is very knowledgeable, speaks excellent English and has a kind soul. He arranged an amazing meal for us in his home of lobster, mud crab and fish, which was a real highlight of our time in the Solomon Islands so far. Use him as your source of local information. If you need any further tips you can message Uhuru of London on WhatsApp +447779335417.