Florida & Russell Islands · Solomon Islands · Muck & macro · Reef
White Beach
Dumped WWII trucks and macro life in a mangrove setting
The site of an American WWII base on Mbanika Island in the Russell Islands, where trucks, bombs and ammunition were dumped into the sea. It is both a historical dive and a macro site in an unusual mangrove setting, best dived early in the morning.
Where it is and how deep
9.0804° S, 159.1903° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive comes in two parts. In front of the old piles lie large rectangular wrecks, and to the north a reef that holds the more interesting diving. Small life gathers around the site between 12 and 14 m, and the bottom reaches 29 m.
Marine life and season
- Macro critters
| 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
- Occasionally very strong currents and poor visibility; divers check conditions with the guide before setting off.
- Crocodiles are present, so the site is avoided at dusk and after dark.
Questions divers ask
Can White Beach be dived at night?+
No. Crocodiles are present around the site, so it is dived in the early morning and avoided at dusk or after dark.
Sources
- Bilikiki Cruises itinerary — Bilikiki Cruises
- White Beach dive site — Diveplanit
- The Best Dive Sites in the Solomon Islands — Scuba Diver Life
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap
More dive sites in Florida & Russell Islands
Wreck
The cut-off bow of the cruiser USS Minneapolis in a war junkyard
Drift
Up to a dozen mantas feeding in formation along a channel reef
Wreck
A New Zealand minesweeper sunk while refuelling in Tulagi Harbour
Cave & cavern
Sunbeams in a jungle-roofed cut that ends in a surfacing pool
Cave & cavern
Swim-through into a jungle pond, then pygmy seahorses on the wall
Pinnacle
Two vertical shafts that drop through the reef to a wall exit
Wreck
The US Navy's first purpose-built oiler, guns still in place
Similar dives elsewhere
Harlequin shrimp and flamboyant cuttlefish on black sand
Muck and healthy reef on the sanctuary's southern edge
Muck slope and coral bommies ten metres apart
Resident hairy frogfish a short ride from the island