The Top Five Dive Sites of Uepi Island and How to Photograph Them!
by Don Silcock
Situated on the northern barrier reef of the stunning Marovo Lagoon, Uepi Island is ideally positioned to access the very best dive sites this renowned area has to offer. With the nutrient-rich currents of New Georgia Sound to the north and the biodiverse waters of the lagoon to the south, some of these incredible sites are just a five-minute boat ride from the resort!
Local expertise is essential to dive those sites at their absolute best, and with well over 30 years of experience, Uepi’s owners, Jill and Grant Kelly, along with their dedicated dive team, know these locations like the backs of their hands.
I’ve been fortunate to be personally guided by both Jill and Grant on almost all of the sites, and I’d like to share my top five favorites - along with some tips on how to photograph them!
#1 Uepi Point
Situated at the northwestern tip of Charapoana Passage, between Uepi Island and nearby Charapoana Island, Uepi Point is widely regarded as the signature dive site of this part of Marovo Lagoon - and for good reason.
The "point" is one of several locations along the northern barrier reef where ancient geological fault lines have uplifted islands and carved passageways into the lagoon. The unique width, depth, and underwater topography of Charapoana Passage create an ideal setting for nutrient-rich waters from the deep basins of New Georgia Sound to flow through and nurture the reef.
Swept by these nutrient-laden currents, Uepi Point offers a glimpse into the underwater world as Mother Nature intended. You'll encounter stunning soft corals, massive sea fans filtering the rich waters, and a dazzling array of marine life, including an impressive number of grey reef sharks patrolling the blue.
There’s so much to see here that it can be challenging to decide what to focus on, but for me, Uepi Point is an exceptional wide-angle dive. It truly shines during an incoming tide in the early morning or late afternoon. At these times, the combination of clearer water from New Georgia Sound and the soft, angled light brings the site to life.
When diving Uepi Point, I rely on my Nikon Z8 camera paired with the versatile Z14-30mm lens. At 14mm, it’s perfect for capturing the large sea fans and vibrant coral gardens. The lens's excellent zoom range and relatively close focusing ability allow for a variety of compositions, making it possible to photograph an array of subjects - all in a single dive!
#2 Uepi Elbow
Uepi Elbow marks the northernmost point of the island, extending furthest into New Georgia Sound and therefore the best chance of spotting pelagics cruising by, carried on the ocean currents.
The "elbow" itself features a sloping wall that plunges into the depths of the Sound. This wall is adorned with a stunning array of sea fans, vibrant sea whips, and magnificent soft corals.
From a photographic perspective, Uepi Elbow is an exceptional wide-angle dive. The abundance of striking subjects on the wall requires a wide lens to do them justice, and you definitely don’t want to be caught with a macro lens if a pelagic species makes an appearance!
That said, for those who enjoy macro photography, the wall’s rich ecosystem offers countless opportunities to discover smaller, fascinating subjects hiding among the corals.
For me, however, Uepi Elbow is best explored with a wide-angle setup. I once again turn to my Nikon Z14-30mm lens, which captures the full splendor of the wall’s vibrant life while keeping me ready for any surprise encounters with passing pelagics.
#3 Charapoana Point
Situated at the tip of Charapoana Island, directly across the passage from Uepi Point, Charapoana Point is like a slightly less dynamic counterpart to its famous neighbor.
The northern side of Charapoana Point offers much to explore, with marine life densely concentrated around the point where the currents sweep around the corner. However, my most memorable experiences have been past the point and further into the channel, where the waters are more sheltered.
Surprisingly, this calmer area often reveals a wealth of fascinating subjects, both large and small.
Photographically, Charapoana Point is versatile, offering opportunities for both wide-angle and macro photography. Personally, I prefer to dive here equipped for wide-angle macro and my go-to setup is a Nikon 8-15mm fisheye zoom lens paired with a small dome port.
This lens, originally designed for Nikon DSLRs, works seamlessly on my Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera when used with the FTZ adapter. At 8mm, the lens produces a circular fisheye effect, and at 15mm, it functions as a standard fisheye - neither of which is ideal for wide-angle macro.
To adapt, I use the Kenko 1.4 teleconverter, which shifts the focal range to effectively a 14-22mm zoom, when paired with the small dome port and offers excellent versatility for wide-angle macro photography.
Capable of extremely close focus the lens enables you to get right up to cooperative subjects, capturing them alongside their surroundings to create unique, eye-catching images. The sheltered area at the start of the channel is a particularly rewarding spot for finding these subjects, making it a favorite area of mine to explore and shoot.
#4 Uepi Welcome Jetty
No visit to Uepi would be complete without an encounter with the resident school of Marovo Lagoon grey reef sharks at the Welcome Jetty.
Situated on the edge of the main channel, the jetty is best dived on an incoming tide. The key to an unforgettable experience is positioning yourself just in front of the jetty at about 5 meters and waiting patiently. The sharks, accustomed to divers and naturally curious, will often approach to investigate.
Jill and Grant Kelly have been diving and snorkeling with the sharks of the Marovo for over 30 years and say they have never felt threatened by them. In fact, the way Jill described it, the sharks are comfortable and curious around divers because they have never been threatened by them!
Photographically, the sharks make outstanding subjects. Their curiosity often brings them close enough for stunning wide-angle shots. I recommend using either a Nikon Z14-30mm lens for classic wide-angle compositions or the Nikon 8-15mm fisheye paired with a wide-angle macro setup for capturing striking close-focus images that showcase both the sharks and their surroundings.
#5 Deku Dekuru
Last, but certainly not least, is the stunningly photogenic Deku Dekuru, a wonderful series of caves and swim-throughs located about 25 minutes from Uepi Resort.
These caves are best explored late morning or early afternoon when the sun is high in the sky and sunlight streams through the openings above, casting shafts of light that illuminate the underwater landscape in an almost ethereal way.
The caves are perfectly safe to enter, but navigating them does require a knowledgeable guide to ensure you experience the best routes and vistas.
Deku Dekuru is a quintessential wide-angle dive, so make sure to bring your widest lens to capture the caves and the interplay of light and shadow.
Don Silcock
Don is Scuba Diver’s Senior Travel Editor and is based on Bali in Indonesia. His website www.indopacificimages.com has extensive location guides, articles and images on some of the best diving locations in the Indo-Pacific region and “big animal” experiences globally.
