Text and photos by Mary L. Peachin and Cameron Azad and Bilikiki Cruises
Vol. 17, No. 5
A dangerous saltwater crocodile had been sighted in Mirror Pond, an underwater cave on Mane, one of the many mangrove atolls in the Russell chain of Solomon Islands. “We do not know the behavior of this man-eating crocodile,” stressed Scott Waring, then divemaster on the Spirit of the Solomons liveaboard diveboat. “When he has been seen, he is usually lying on one of its cave’s ledges. Waring advised that while the crocodile had previously attacked a snorkeler, it had never bothered a scuba diver. He urged “when you follow me through the 250-foot underwater passageway, please leave me plenty of room to escape!”