Florida & Russell Islands · Solomon Islands · Cave & cavern · Wall · Coral garden
Mirror Pond
Swim-through into a jungle pond, then pygmy seahorses on the wall
A Russell Islands dive that runs through an underwater passage into a jungle-ringed pond where divers can surface. Outside, a sheer wall of gorgonian fans hides pygmy seahorses, and the route finishes among canyons and a hard coral pinnacle.
Also known as Mirror Pool.
Where it is and how deep
8.9980° S, 159.0514° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Outside on the reef a sheer wall drops to 25 m, where snappers and trevally hunt and pygmy seahorses hide in the gorgonian fans. In the shallows above it, a coral garden holds crocodilefish, cuttlefish and anemonefish.
An underwater passage leads into a cove, the pond itself, where divers can surface among the jungle. From there the dive continues through a maze of canyons and passageways and ends circling a hard coral pinnacle wrapped in anthias.
Marine life and season
- Pygmy seahorses
- Trevally & jacks
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Crocodiles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Florida & Russell Islands: Diving runs all year; the northwesterlies of November to April bring more rain and the odd squall or cyclone that can reroute a trip.
Know before you go
- A small saltwater crocodile of about 2 m (6.5 ft) lives in the cove, so surfacing in the pond calls for caution.
Dive videos
Scuba Diving Mirror Pond Solomon Islands (tunnel cave nature) best diving in the world · Dan Chappy on YouTube
Sources
- Bilikiki Cruises itinerary — Bilikiki Cruises
- Mirror Pond dive site — Diveplanit
- The Best Dive Sites in the Solomon Islands — Scuba Diver Life
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