Expedition Log – Papua New Guinea (PNG):
April to May 2007

An idyllic month at sea brought us from Ambon to Alotau, PNG.  We made our way slowly towards the great mouth of the South Pacific Ocean, accompanied by countless gatherings of cetaceans: from sperm whales to Risso’s dolphins, some in remarkable formations, melon headed whales to pilot whales, and larger unidentified baleen whales.  We made several exploratory dives at offshore reefs, not far from Waigeo Island, and were greeted by scenes of high vibrance, not just underwater.  Manta rays broke through the sea’s flat surface and somersaulted before us, three times in one day, and we were several times visited by curious turtles, even when land had disappeared from view.  These waters of Rajah Empat, at the eastern edge of Indonesia, have been luring us for many years and making our way through them only whetted our appetite for a more thorough exploration when we return next year. 

Once in the embrace of the Pacific Ocean proper, our plans for a revisit to Hermit Islands (PNG) were scuppered by a squall which had us flying through the seas at break-neck speed and unfortunately closed the entrance channel to our passage.  During these days Kitty become master sail sewer with a team engaged in repairing rips in the sails due to the high winds.

The next day we were in the clutches of the Vitiaz Straits, a channel in which we have been caught by strong currents before.  This time we made good headway, but only to find a local boat which had been drifting helplessly with a dysfunctional engine up and down the channel for ten days.  Everybody on board, all 50 including a baby, was in good health but desperate to get back to Madang from where their ominous journey had begun.  We stayed with them for the day, replenishing their long gone fresh water supplies, helping them to repair their starter motor and communicating with the rescue centre in Port Moresby who promised to send a tug boat that night.  At precisely the hour predicted by Port Moresby, running lights appeared in the distance and this drama was finally over for all aboard the vessel.  The engine was by now working, but the tug boat promised to stay with the ferry until they arrived safely to shore.  As we continued our journey, a series of repairs began on sails, making good stitching and reinforcements that the strong winds had undone.

We arrived less dramatically into Alotau, returning to what has become one of our home ports in the Pacific.  Our main task here was to conduct a repeat Vitareef study at Magic Spot, one of the reef patches in the Raven Channel.  Magic Spot continues to be a treasured dive site in Papua New Guinea.  We first encountered this reef in 2002 and have been keeping a close eye on it since then.  We were very glad to find it is still in a sound state of health.  Visibility was generally low and it was hard to gauge the state of the pelagic population but we sighted several white tip reef sharks and enough Spanish mackerel, dogtooth tuna and Napoleon wrasse to be assured that the fish stocks have not been degraded substantially.

Magic Spot continues to be a treasured dive site in Papua New Guinea.  We first encountered this reef in 2002 and have been keeping a close eye on it since then.  We were very glad to find it is still in a sound state of health.  Visibility was generally low and it was hard to gauge the state of the pelagic population but we sighted several white tip reef sharks and enough Spanish mackerel, dogtooth tuna and Napoleon wrasse to be assured that the fish stocks have not been degraded substantially.   

On our first night back in Alotau, we met Julia Taudevin, a young New Guinea lady who was one of the Miss Milne Bay contestants and was working with a Japanese dive operator in Alotau. She expressed great interest in joining our expedition to Magic Spot and we delighted to take both her and her sister Mary for a week offshore. Julia observed our Vitareef study methods and began to identify specific corals while Mary began an open water dive course, buddying with Matt on his first few training sessions.  Julia didn’t find one week on board Infinity enough to sate her appetite and has now joined for a six month voyage with us to Fiji and Vanuatu. 

While back in Alotau, we invited the children of our friends at Nawae Construction to tour the ship.  They watched Studio of the Sea movies, played all our instruments and then had a mid-afternoon disco before heading reluctantly back to shore.  The Taudevin family took us on an expedition to a waterfall, a tall torrent which beckoned to all who dared to jump from its ledges.  Many of us also took time to return to Ulumani Treetops Lodge in Wagawaga, an inspirational eco-tourism project run by Warren Dipole.  His young nephew, Warren Junior, rallied all his cousins to perform a sneak preview of the traditional canoe dances that he will repeat for the canoe festival later this year.  We will return to Alotau for this event and look forward very much to escorting the kula canoes from Dobu to Alotau and becoming part of this sea-people celebration.