About Revisions Enchanted Forest Varata Island, Solomon Islands Entry Type: Boat Bottom Composition: Coral Aquatic Life: Plenty To See 9/24/2014 5:55 PM LatitudeAdjustment

Enchanted Forest- located well inside the lagoon off the island of Varata, this can best be described as a plateau arising from the ocean floor. One descends through giant, wispy GOLDEN coral trees. With the lower vis of the inner lagoon, it gives one the feeling of walking through a misty forest in an English novel. At the base of the plateau, we are almost always greeted by huge schools of barracuda and big-eye jacks. As we ascend, we search the sand shelves for the miniature “hovercraft” known as Signal gobies, the fan corals for glass tunicates and rare nudibranchs. Back to the goldem trees, we watch the thousands of tiny “ fishlets” that shelter in their branches, searching for the rare tobies that feed on their twigs. An assortment of shrimp gobies and dart fish populate the sandy top and- oh- be careful where you put your hands. The lovely little blue-spotted rays with the long tails love to bury themselves in the sand and pop up at the least disturbance.