Makira's Gem

Star Harbour – Makira’s Hidden Gem

I’ve always travelled to the Star Harbour region of east Makira by boat. And the scene from Tawaroga looking east towards Namuga always fascinated, if not thrilled me. During low tides, the long reefs there extend several kilometers out to the north causing awe, inspiration and at times wow rippling effects! But in early 2012 and a few more trips in 2013 travelling by air to Santa Ana airstrip was when the stunning beauty of the area smacked me. With its white sandy beaches and long coves, long reefs and many islets, the area is poised to be the tourism centre of the Makira-Ulawa Province. The very first trip, March 2012, was truly beautiful – there was no single cloud - only blue sky! We crossed from the Pihuru point of east Wainoni on the mainland for Santa Ana Island and the outline of Star Harbour to our right was stunning. There were the long points of green amid white sandy beaches and very gentle waves that even from the air were very evident. No white washes whatsoever on the shore line – indeed an unforgettable sight!

This magnificent sight extended from the mainland to the twin islands of Santa Ana and Santa Catalina, northeast, immediately past the last point of the mainland.

Soon our flight touched down on Gupuna airstrip and we walked to Gupuna village with our luggage and rested at Obed’s Rest House. After a very brief welcome and morning tea and snacks we headed to the seaside to travel across to Santa Catalina, our destination. As usual, and always, the people welcomed us and helped carry our few bags to where we were to put up for the night.

In this eastern area of the Province, you see white sands on the coastlines mostly it makes you feel they are the cause of the mostly blond haired people you find here. Anyway, after having settled and discussed with the local house of chiefs of the island, we decided to take a trip to Namuga in the Star Harbour region, west of the island.

Namuga is the government sub-station for east Makira. We landed near the wharf there and were led to a spot where Queen Elizabeth II first landed when she visited Solomon Islands in early 1972.  Her very first trip to the country! The spot is marked by a small squared piece of concrete cement which did not look like what it should be.  (In order to preserve that historic visit and importance of where she first delivered her speech in the country, I personally expected something more significantly built and protected). Anyway, the main reason we landed there was to check out the new mini hospital being built by the support of Dr Chris of Australia who married a local of the area and supported by Australian and Canadian friends.

After taking pictures we asked about a Star Beach Resort of the station and were advised to go east from where we landed.

As soon as we reached it, I asked one of the workers where the owner was and she pointed towards the sea side, west of the resort.

This was beside a locally designed leaf hut held together by mostly carved posts that bore the many totems of the people of the area. As soon as I went past there, I saw someone swinging on a black hammock that faced an expanse of white sandy beach and very windy.

When I reached the hammock and asked whether or not he was the owner of Star Beach Resort, he smiled, nodded yes and asked why I was asking. I explained and then asked if he could share a little bit about his set up.

Alfred Murray said his resort was there for more than 15 years. When I asked why he chose to be swinging on a hammock and not in his office, he brought out his biggest smile and said he was just relaxing. Then he also added around the resort, wherever he chose to sit, was where his office was. We both laughed at his comment.

But seriously, the Star Beach Resort is the longest surviving one in the whole of east Makira. Murray said he decided to start that up because he felt the area is most ideal for tourism and needed someone to make a start.

When asked whether or not visitors ever came to the place he said mostly surfers and local government workers.

“Our surfs here have been highly rated. Two or three years ago, we had professional surfers visit to see if there is any good surf here. And guess what, the two blokes who came said we have world standard surfs! Apart from the surfs we have stunning sceneries, ideal for visitors who crave for somewhere they have everything to themselves. I have some write ups overseas, done by some friends who came here in the past. But, in short, as you can see, the area speaks for itself,” he smiled once again and looked out to the vast reef that’s slowly being swallowed up by a young tide coming on.

Murray also added that the hospital being built in the station will become a big attraction itself for Namuga.

“As chairman of the local working committee here at Namuga, I am very happy with the idea to have the hospital here. We are so far away from KiraKira - two or three hours away to the west by OBM. When this completes, all our people of east Makira will have easy access. I wish to thank all the parties who had put their hands together to make this happen. East Makira has the highest population and the hospital’s presence here would really help our people. Even visitors who come and need medical attention would easily have access too. This is good. However, I urge other wantoks to continue to support the hospital. It’s a blessing that generous friends from overseas have rallied to help us. But we have to do our part,” he stressed. Murray also advised those who may be interested in tourism to join the industry to make sure “we enjoy these beautiful things before the sea covers them what with the rapid changes happening to our world and sea”.

After a few more words, I thanked him and walked back to the new hospital area, out to the wharf and then waited for a relative of Naruka village to come and meet me. As soon as he came, he urged that we go with him to his village. We then hopped onto the OBM boat and drove inland through a bay along which nothing but thick mangroves covered it some tangling into the sea. As we travelled further inland we touched the leaves and branches, at times pushing them away to create our way. As soon as we came to the landing spot, we anchored the boat and walked for almost twenty minutes to get to Naruka village east of Namuga. Once we met his family and bade them farewell, we walked back to our boat and took off from there straight back to Santa Catalina.

 The Star Beach Resort is being joined by a new one on nearby Frigate Island and near Tawaroga at Têra and Ioo Islet. Two residents of Santa Ana and a few on Santa Catalina also host family rest houses. The Frigate Island one is the brainchild of John and Joyce Murray, owners of the Sanbis Lodge at KiraKira station. It’s expected more people of the area will go into this industry as it is most ideal for tourism.

Two flights travel to Santa Ana weekly, Wednesday and Saturday, and there are privately owned boats on Santa Ana to hire to travel to any of these destinations. There are also boat trips operated by MV Takana and MV Kesoko, a government subsidized service for the weather Coast of Makira Island travelling east to Santa Ana and Santa Catalina. Another cargo service boat, MV KCBII, makes regular trips to east Makira. Telephone communication is not a problem. The area is served by two towers owned by Our Telekom - above Namuga station and on nearby Santa Ana Island.