SOLTAI NO 12 - Gizo & Western Province
Soltai No 12 is a fishing vessel that grounded and sank in 1990, now sitting upright in just 4 metres of water near Gizo. It's a proper training ground for wreck enthusiasts, especially those new to overhead environments, or for anyone wanting an easy, shallow dive. You can fin right into the wheelhouse and explore the cargo holds, where bigeye trevally often school. Look closely and you'll spot nudibranchs on the encrusting corals, and occasionally a reef shark might cruise by for a quick look. It's a relaxed dive, great for long bottom times and practicing buoyancy.
- Location
- Gizo & Western Province, Solomon Islands, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -8.345000, 157.208330
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 4m
Marine Protected Area: Kekehe
Nearby Dive Sites in Gizo & Western Province
- Abyss’ Triggerfish - 20m (wall)
- Aichi D3A ’Val’ (Wreck) - 26m (wreck)
- Aussie Point - 21m (reef)
- Bell P39 Airacobra (Wreck) - 26m (wreck)
- Bilikiki - 20m
- Castaway Island - 16m (reef)
- CATHAY - 0m (wreck)
- Cave of the Kastom Shark - 32m (cave)
- Coral Corner - 21m (reef)
- Douglas SBD Dauntless (Wreck) - 16m (wreck)
- Grand Central Station
- Haipe Reef - 27m (reef)
- Heron’s Wall - 18m (wall)
- Lumbaria Island - 9m (reef)
- Marovo Lagoon (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to SOLTAI NO 12
Marine Life in Gizo & Western Province
Home to 304 recorded species including 261 reef fish, 13 hard corals, 11 sea cucumbers, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 clams & mussels, 3 sharks & rays.
Notable Species
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Dusky Parrotfish (Scarus niger) - Reef Fish
- Mimic Surgeonfish (Acanthurus pyroferus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Bleeker's Parrotfish (Chlorurus bleekeri) - Reef Fish
- Indo-Pacific sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis) - Reef Fish
- Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
- Orange-lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Redfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus) - Reef Fish
- Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) - Reef Fish
- Banded maori wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Parrotfish (Scarus oviceps) - Reef Fish
- Saddled Parrotfish (Scarus dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly fish (Chaetodon vagabundus) - Reef Fish
- Double-bar Goatfish (Parupeneus crassilabris) - Reef Fish
- Horned Bannerfish (Heniochus varius) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) - Reef Fish
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels