21 Oktober 2004 we depart from the 'mainland' of PNG
en route to New Britain. The west-passage trough
Dampier Strait leads us to Dorf Point and
the Vitu islands. Kimbe Bay is
a well protected harbour with lots of small reefs and quiet, uninhabited
islands. We visit several beautiful diving spots.
Of course we have dinner at Walindi dive resort, and visit the local shops
and produce-market in Kimbe City.
We celebrate Mariët 50th anniversary in a lagoon behind Wulai island. Mid November we continue
our trip for Kavieng on the most northern tip of New Ireland, an area with numerous large and small islands. Kavieng
has several well stocked supermarkets and a large
fruit and vegetable-market. We make a little detour around the island of New Hanover with several well protected anchorages
and friendly people. In Three Islands Harbour we dive on the wreck of a
bombed cargo-vessel with alongside a sunken Japanese submarine. Kavieng
is our last port of call before the trip to Palau in Micronesia. We
encounter the famous doldrums with very light winds, so we have to use the
engine for several days. December 22 we finally
arrive in Koror after a crossing of 13 days.
Double-click on any picture in the gallery for an enlargement.
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Cape Nelson to New Britain - using the reacher |
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Star Reef Passage - small shark takes our bait |
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At dusk a bird tries to rest on our life-line |
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Very enthousiastic villagers at Dorf Point |
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The whole village comes alongside |
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13 girls have taken a large canoe to deliver us tropical fruits |
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Also a lot of visitors on the Vitu islands |
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This young fisherman has done very well today! |
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Umbrella in the sun, umbrella in the rain |
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Local colorfull woodcarving |
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Garove Bay is the flooded crater of an extinct vulcano |
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David invites us for diner on board of 'Leonore' |
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Visit to Garua cocospalm plantation |
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Cocospalms are neatly planted in endless rows |
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Workers at the copra-dryer |
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At groundlevel the empty shells of the coconuts are used as firewood for the oven |
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Woman-workers cut and beat the copra (dried coconut) from the shells |
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On top of the oven the fresh cocosnuts are spread out for drying |
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Monday and friday afternoon: local marketday on the grounds of Walindi diveresort |
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Woman of the local village come to trade fruit and veges from their gardens |
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A large assortment, neatly stacked and divided on display |
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Kavieng is the main port on New Ireland for traders and fishingvessels |
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On the main wharf our fueltanks are topped-up from a 200 liter drum, many hands make light work! |
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A cargo vessel loads bags with copra, brought in by truck from the surrounding villages |
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Early in the morning the villagers from the surrounding islands arrive at the Kavieng market with their produce |
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The market is a social happening where people meet and local gossip is exchanged |
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Apart from the normal produce a large supply of tobacco leaves and a very , very large supply of betelnuts is available |
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We visit the small settlement at one of the islands in Three Island Harbour |
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The small kids enjoy our company and want to show us their whole island and so we meet the different families |
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In return we hand-out byro's and popcorn and have a long farewell |
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We pay a visit to the missionschool of the Seven Day Adventists Church in Metanus Bay, south New Hanover |
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The teacher is very happy with the supply of books and pencils |
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The pastor is also the main contractor for building the new school- annex church |
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A small, family owned copra dryer on Little Mussau island (St. Matthias) |
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The openair church is in use during the summercamp meetings |
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Our fruitsupply on leaving St. Matthias islands |
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December 10, 2004 we cross of the equator and are back in the Northern hemisphere |
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Our Tsunamis chart show our position, en route from PNG to Palau on the equator |
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We enjoy the magnific colors of the sunset |
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