We visited the Solomon Islands in 1999. We had some of the best diving imaginable and great surface memories - check out the photos below. A civil war broke out after we left - rebels were shooting at divers at the last site we dove only two weeks after we left.

We returned in 2001 and had less exciting diving due to a typhoon which kept us in the Russell Island chain for a week. The weather was clearing and we were headed further west for better diving when Bruce fell on a ladder on the SPIRIT OF THE SOLOMONS and broke several ribs. Our trip was cut short. BEWARE: DAN insurance only paid for the unused portion of Bruce's trip. We got stuck for Linda's remaining days to the tune of about $3000, even though Bruce was unable to carry even his toiletries kit. Also, DAN insurance wanted a doctor's statement that Bruce's ribs were broken to evacuate - except the only X-ray was back in Guadalcanal, so it was an 8 hour boat ride - cross swell on the edge of a typhoon to get back to Guadalcanal and have DAN say, "Yes, we should have evacuated you by air!"

Enough of that, here are some photos from the 1999 trip. More to come later.

Some of these photos won Bruce an Honorable Mention in a local photo contest.