Florida Islands

The Florida Islands (or Nggela Islands) are a small island group in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands, a nation in the western Pacific Ocean. Among the more important islands of the Florida grouping are Nggela Sule, Tulagi, Gavutu and Tanambogo. The name Florida Island itself is also used to refer to Nggela Sule, the largest of the group.

History

The Florida Islands group is north of the more famous island of Guadalcanal, the scene of the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II; however, Nggela Sule itself was garrisoned by the Japanese in April, 1942 in connection with their efforts to establish a seaplane base on neighboring Gavutu. On August 7 of the same year, the United States Marines landed on the island to provide cover for the assault on the neighboring Tulagi islet. Florida Island would never become as famous as Guadalcanal, although it did serve as a small, very secondary base of operations for the US & Australian war effort in the Pacific for the duration of the war. Following the American liberation of the island from the Japanese, it became the site of a US seaplane base. The island subsequently served as a watering point for the US Navy, diverting water from an underground source on the island.