Rekata
Bay (Rakata Bay)
Located
along to the west of Suavanau Point. Also spelled Rakata Bay on post war maps. Located exactly 135 miles to the north-east of Lunga
Point (Henderson Field).
Rekata
Bay Seaplane Base
Japanese forward seaplane base, located
along to the west of Suavanau Point.
Suavanao Airport
Airfield built in the early 1990s by the logging company for operations in the area.
Wartime History
The Japanese referred to the place as Re-ka-ta, using those three katakana characters. Occupied by the Japanese, Kamikawa Maru and Kiyokawa Maru went to Rekata Bay to support the landings at Tulagi in early May 1942. Developed into a seaplane base, and ditching point for aircrews returning with damage from Guadalcanal.
R Area Air Force
September 12, 1942 The R Area Air Force has nine E13A1 as well as F1M2 and A6M2-N aircraft. By October 8, 1942, The R Area Air Force's strength is now 12 F1M2 Petes from the KUNIKAWA, SANUKI and SANYO MARUs and the CHITOSE's Air Groups, five A6M2-N Rufes from the KAMIKAWA MARU's Air Group and nine E13A1 Jakes from the CHITOSE and SANYO MARU's Air Groups. Other ships provide two more F1M2s, two E13A1s and nine E7K2 Alfs. October 13, 1942, one G4M1 Betty of the 751st Kokutai ditches at Rekata.
Abandoned Base
Japanese forces evacuated the area in early September 1943. Allies visited Rekata in early October 1943 and surveyed the area. Later, around July 1945, RNZAF Catalina of 5 Squadron went
up to Rekata bay for a picnic and to inspect the former Japanese
base. On this visit, one of the group went missing (attributed
to saltwater crocodile). The group took some photos of
area. (Thanks to Ewan Stevenson for this information.)
Today
It was abandoned after the war. During the 1990's a logging operation
began operations nearby, and developed a Suavanao Airstrip and camp area. Logging ceased during the 1990s and resumed more recently by the company 'Earthmovers' in 2003 and continues to this day.
Papatura Island
Large, flat island to the north of Rekata Bay and Suavanao with a mangrove cover shore.
Prewar, there was a Burns Phillips copra plantation at this location, known as Papatura Plantation. Japanese maintained some limited facilities on the south-western shore, nearest to Rekata Bay.
Ekiti Island
Small island to the west of Papatura, due north of Rekata Bay. Japanese maintained some limited wartime facilities on the island.
RAMSI EOD Explosion Area
Sometime between 2003-2005, RAMSI forces collected unexploded munitions and detonated them at the southern part of the island. Today, all that remains are a few rusty barrels on the south-east edge of the island.
Justin Taylan visited in 2006:
"Only a small crater remains today, the detonation must have only been some smaller caliber shells or cartridges."
