Samurai

We had a good sail arriving at Samurai between 9-10pm. Michael doesn’t appear to have changed so we will take him across in the morning and get him checked out as he said he’s feeling a bit better.We went ashore at 8am the following morning to find out where the medical centre is we had to walk around the other side of the island which isn’t far as the island is only small. We went straight in which was amazing as other people were waiting to be seen. The doctor that looked over Michael said that he thinks he has malaria but there is no pathology so we could do no test to confirm it. He said that he sees it so often that he knows but he also said that he doesn’t see many rashes. So we decided to treat him for malaria just in case he does have it and the rash was from something else. The doctor gave us the medication as he said that some malaria strands are becoming resistant to Chlorquin which we have on board. So he has two lots of medication to take for malaria one lot he only takes on the third day. He also has antibiotics for the rash Amoxicillyn which I have on the boat. The doctor told us that there is no Dengue in PNG which is good. All up the charge for the consultation and malaria tablets was a whole 1kina which is about 50cents we don’t have a lot of money left about 30kina so we gave them 10kina as a donation I wish we had more but we have to buy bread and fruit for the trip back.

Michael with his rash on the legs a bit hard to see in the photo

We called into the market and bought rolls and passion fruit. Then it was time to clear customs as we know we have what looks to be a weather window to travel back to Australia we didn’t want to do this before we had Michael checked out in case he wasn’t up to travel and needed other treatment that we couldn’t do on the boat. As it turned out we didn’t need to thankfully. We plan on leaving later on in the early night.

The kids and I took the dingy over to Belesna where our stuff was stolen. As they asked us come back in case it was found. When we arrived Leone saw us and came running down. We left the dingy out the front of Lilly’s place rather than on the wharf where we couldn’t keep an eye on it. Leone was telling us that our things they thought were over in a village on the opposite side of the bay but they hadn’t been able to get it back. Lilly wasn’t at her house she was up at the garden so we talked to Lou Lou and Leone first. I took over everything that we had left to trade and gave them both some of the things but most of the things I took over for Lilly as I gave the other two a heap of stuff on our last trip there.

Lillys daughter came down and told us that Lilly wouldn’t be long in the garden. Then we went up to see her she was really surprised to see all the things we took them mainly clothes, rice and other odds and ends she was really excited about the cutlery. She gave us a big mat which she had made form pandanas grass she was in the process of making us one each but we got back before she could finish them. Her girls Christine and Helen had been making us shell necklaces which must have taken ages as the ends are filed down to make the hole for the fishing line to be thread through. Her son Moira had art work hanging on the wall and asked if we wanted them. I would have loved one but they looked great hanging on her wall. She told us that he really liked painting but had no paint anymore. I told her that if he wanted to visit us in the canoe that afternoon I would give him some more. We said Goodbye and headed back to the boat it was about 2.30pm before we headed back and we were getting hungry Ian was making spaggetti bolangaise for us he told us on the radio. Which was welcome when we got back.

We went ashore in Samarai after eating as the kids wanted to say goodbye to the friends they made and Kathleen and I took what was left of kids clothes and treats like balloons, tennis balls, hair clips and other things to give away. We had been told that the bigger shop there exchanged currency so we asked they would do it but it wasn’t worth us doing it as they weren’t giving a good rate so we did not to worry. We bought the bread we had talked about getting some T-shirts with Samarai on the front, the owner of the shop a really nice man gave us 3 shirts one each for Ian, Kathleen and myself they were 22kina each to buy so it was very generous of him. I had the bag of clothes and asked if either of them had small children the lady Hilda did so I gave her a heap of clothes then we went and found other kids to give stuff to. School was just about out so we had to wait of a little while for the kids friends, while we were waiting we sat under a big tree there were some other ladies with little kids there, one of which a little boy of about 2 screamed out Dim Dim’s and burst into tears we gave him a tennis ball then he settled down and ended up playing with Amy.

Back to the boat we had been watching for any canoe in case Moira came but hadn’t seen any. We could see a couple of dots in the distance when we got back to the boat it was getting dark and we would be leaving in the next hour or so but kept an eye in the dots which was getting closer. Lilly’s husband Seller and Christine came in a canoe by this time it was dark we invited them on they stayed for about 20mins before thy head off to get kerosene from the shore. We had a couple of bags ready for them one with art supplies paints and pads and another with food.
We pulled anchor and headed out into the big blue. The trip was starting off great then we hit some rain. I caught heaps then got out the wash bag and had a good scrub as we will have days on the boat ahead of us. Ian, Kathleen and Daniel ended up doing the same Michael was still not feeling right and Amy was asleep.The trip back was great. We had great sailing weather no one is sea sick wish we had a trip over like this.

Ian enjoying not being sea sick on th trip back.

The kids are watching movies and we are reading books. This is what sailing is supposed to be like even though we have had the motor going most of the time. We are doing around the 7 knots so we are making great time much quicker than the trip over. We even had a send off by a pod of dolphins which followed us for a while and were jumping out of the water. We also picked up a couple of hitch hikers a day out of Australia.

Kathleen busy talking to her friend while watching the hitch hikers.(2 birds that perched there for nearly a day)

Panesia

We were able to sail most of the way which makes a real change for us over recent times. We are normally beating into the wind. We arrived at Panasia and we found the entrance through the reef without any problems. The rock cliffs are quite spectacular, there are a couple of little beaches but most of it is sheer cliffs. There are some places where you can get to higher ground and there is supposed to be a skull cave somewhere on the island but we didn’t go looking. At the entrance there are a few bommies around and reef on either side. We dropped anchor and we ended up to close to a bommie for comfort so we pulled it up and tried again but without any success yet another bommie so up it came again. We dropped anchor again and this time it stayed there.

Panasia's rock cliffs.

We went over to check out the shore no one lives here so we decided that we would burn our rubbish. Daniel climbed up the rock face to what may have been an entrance to a cave but it wasn’t. He is a bit of a monkey so he could go where Ian couldn’t get up to. The boys and Ian gathered some firewood while Kathleen and I went back to the boat to make some bread dough to put on a stick and cook. We also got Amy some dry clothes and some peanuts and biscuits to eat and some water to drink. We put the dough onto the stick to thick so it didn’t cook properly so I ended up taking it off the stick and putting it on the some wood to finish cooking. We had golden syrup on the bread stuff it wasn’t as good as bread but it was edible. Then we burnt the rubbish and headed back to the boat.

Daniel in the cave Ian is just above the water.

While we were there we went to the beach there was a hut on the island that must be used by people attending to gardens or travelling on the sailing canoes as a stop over. We spent the afternoon on the boat and are heading back towards Samarai and get Michael looked at in the morning. I have been in contact with Alotau hospital every day for the last couple of days with the satellite phone. We are going to see how Michael feels as to the decision as to calling into Hummocky Island where people told us they were making things for us to pick up on the way back. Michael’s rash has got some bruising like a gravel rash effect we have been doing some reading and we are thinking that it could be Dengue fever as the rash is mainly on his limbs and he has some of the other symptoms as well like fever and headache. There is no rash with Malaria but we are taking no chances and are heading straight back to Samurai where there is a medical centre and we will be only 20 miles from the hospital in Alotau if we need it.

Bagaman

We moved onto Bagaman Island which is 6 miles away. We wanted to go to Bagaman because we had heard that they were having Indepenance Day celebrations that went for 4 days with different activites happening over the 4 days. We didn't realise that it had already been going on for 2 days already at this time. It didn’t take to long and when we got there there were three other boats there. An annocement which came over the loud speaker asking all the yachts to come ashore. All the yachties headed for shore there was a small market fundrasier and the kids were about to start the tradional dancing. The kids put on a good show for us with the dancing that went for around 20mins.

The local children dancing.

I bought some rolls and a baggy necklace for Amy for 10kina the cheapest we have seen so far Amy was the only one who didn’t have one besides Ian who doesn’t Once the dancing was over we were told we could stay with them or go back to the boat to rest there is a choir and a play starting at 7.30pm which we are all invited to come back over for it. We thought we might but then Amy was asleep, Michael wasn’t feeling well and Daniel said that he didn’t really want to go and Ian was worrying about malaria so we didn’t go over. We ended up watching a movie about the animals in Africa .

The following day Kathleen and I set about cleaning the hull of the boat along the water line there is a thick with a slime weed. It took me a lot longer to clean the slime than what it took Kathleen to clean the side of the hull. We then went for a walk on the beach for a little while before going back to the boat for a chill out.

There was an anonncement that came across the VHF radio from one of the other boats who had been recording the celebrations over the last 4 days. They had done a video which the wanted to show the local people and wanted to see if anyone would be able to help them showing the video on laptops. One of the boats had left but the three of us said that we could help out. Ian said that he would stay with the kids on the boat if they wanted as it was yet again a night thing. We were later told that we were all invited to go over for a meal which the women had prepared beffore the presentations began. for the races and competitions happening over the past four days. We decided that we would all go over we would just have to cover up a bit and use aeroguard.

Dinner with some of the other yachties.

We had a meal of yams, rice, pork and rolls which was quite tasty we had had a late lunch that Kathleen had cooked at 3pm so we didn’t eat much but it was still nice. We were asked to move outside of the hut we had eaten in and all the kids came and sat in front of us and sang. Rob played a guitar and we sang no more tears in heaven or what we could remember anyway. Then the kids sang again then we sang twinkle twinkle little star and the hokey pokey which went down well with everyone.

Amy singing and dancing with local kids.

The presentations came next all of the yatchies received either a hand made bag or a carving of a canoe, Amy was presented with her very own baggy necklace which no seemed to know about. Then came the prize money given the races. Then we showed the movie that Rob had put together which was a huge hit with the locals who enjoyed watching them selves on the screen. Amy had allen asleep during the speeches and Daniel was not far off away from sleeping either. The video went for about 40 mins and then it was time to headback to the boat at least there was a good breeze which helped to keep the mozzies away no one saw any there were a few sandflies around but even they weren’t to bad.

Pana Numera

We headed to Pana Numera where there is a fund raiser for a new school with traditional dancing, basket weaving and carvings and other things on the 14th. The sail here wasn’t to bad the wind was head on only for a while and we managed to plod along in the lee on the islands a bit. We dropped anchor at 4.15pm we dropped in deep water again because everything we had read said that there are bommies which come up quite quickly and after the mess we found ourselves in at the last place we would rather pull in extra chain.

We were surprised that no canoes came up this morning it gave us a chance to get stuck into some serious cleaning up. We had been told that there was going to be a bit of a market there to raise money also. We went ashore for a walk along the beach. We stayed on the beach for a while just sitting around and relaxing. Amy couldn’t help herself she was in the water before we knew it swimming around. We ended up going for a walk along the rocks which lead to another beach this is amazing this place a lovely beach and crystal clear water we planned on going for a swim in the afternoon.

Ian and Daniel in beautiful Pana Numera.

We were collecting shells along the way when we met 3 women who had been collecting things from their gardens and were now taking the husks off green coconuts they gave us a couple which was really nice we drank one while we were talking to them. We continued walking further along and when we turned around we were greeted by 4 girls. They said that they were 10 years old only one girl Mary could really speak English. They couldn’t get enough of Amy they were picking her up and carrying her. They were laughing and holding hands with Kathleen and Amy as Amy got a bit shy and didn’t want to be carried. When we got back to the dingy there was a heap of kids and Jan one of the local women. The kids ended up taking us for a walk over the island which only took about 15 minutes where there was some great rock formations.

The day of the fundraiser arrived and what a great day it was. It started with tradional dancing the kids and a few of the younger man had put on which was great introduction before the formal welcome. Where the women came to us and put flowers around our necks and in our hair to welcome us to their village.

Us after we had been welcomed to the village.

The dances are interpertive of things that happen in life from red ants in trees to hunting and fishing this was amazing to watch. Then the older men and women sung and danced some of their traditional songs. They sung in another language other than Misima language so the people we asked what the dance and song were about couldn’t tell us but it was still fun to watch. The dancing went for around an hour and a half and we were made to feel really welcomed. We were having a great time sitting back and watching what was happening. All up there was 8 boats that turned up to support the school which was a good turn out.

One of the dances that was performed for us.

Then the village people put on a light lunch for us of paw paw, banana’s, passionfruit, pumpkin scones, watermelon, and coconuts we had been told that this was happening and everyone on the boats was taking something to share. We ate in the church but only the Dim Dims went in which was a bit of a shame.

Then the festivities continued with rides in the sailing canoe we went in the second group. Which was great fun they move really fast. To tack is a huge effort where one person has to get into the water while one manually turns the boom by running along the side of the canoe. One person was continually bailing all the water that was running in from the bow of the boat like a small stream. The canoes tip frequently so I wasn’t game enough to take my camera but I wish I had as it was amazing to see how it is sailed. It takes 5 men to tack and one man stands on the back and has a huge paddle which is the rudder sometimes they have another rudder in the water held by another man. It would be hard work as it didn’t take long for them to work up a sweat. We had to watch out for our heads when they tacked as it would be easy for the boom to hit you in the head. The sail is made out of a tarp not canvas and is all hand sewn into the right shape.

The sailing canoe that we went out on.

While we were waiting for our ride in the canoe there was a race with the men to see who could get a fire started using 2 sticks together. It only took the men 10-15 seconds to get the shavings smoldering ready to light a fire which is done by tipping the smoldering ash into a dry coconut husk then blowing on it. They were only racing to get the smoldering happening. Ian, Michael and Daniel all had a go at doing it but none of them coud start it.

Michael and Daniel trying to start a fire with everyone watching.

One of the last things that we got to see was basket making one lady was making a yam basket while the men were once again racing to make a basket from coconut fronds. Even this didn’t take them long.Then we were treated to a feed of local food pork, yams, potatoes and baked fish. This was really tasty and everyone enjoyed it even the kids. Then a speech was given and the yachties were given a big thank you for the support given. We had bought things that were for sale baggy Daniel bought one and Kathleen bought Michael one for his birthday which she gave him early. We also bought a basket and some fruit and vegies. Everyone put in for the canoe rides and for the food as a donation which is going to a good cause. This is the only fund raising they do and when we asked the following day they did much better than had been hoped they raised over 500kina. All the boats gave donations of books, pencils and alike for the school as well.

Kimuta

After leaving Misima we headed to Kimuta it was afternoon before we left as we had to get the bread first. The sail over was great but once we got there we could see another boat in a lagoon and tried to find a passage. We came close to running a ground so tried to get in closer to the shore instead of the lagoon we ended up with bommies around us everywhere I don’t know how we didn’t hit one but it was really scary. A sailing canoe came past and he showed us where to anchor the water was deep 70 foot but at least we didn’t have to go back to Misima and we weren’t dragging and weren’t on a reef.
It after lunch before we got to go ashore the next day as so many boats were coming up trading things, it does get a bit tiresome when all you want to do is go ashore.



Some trading canoes that came to see us.


We said hello to a few people when we were heading up the beach to a rock that was over hanging the water that we could see from the boat. One of the women who we met in the morning had some baggy to trade(which is a necklace made from shells, they are still used as bride price to give to the wifes family when a man gets married) so we ended up trading some kids clothes and fabric with her while we were there as she didn’t bring it out to the boat in the morning. We had only just made it to the next village and were talking to some of the people who we had met on the boat before it started to rain. A pastor invited us into his house to shelter and was telling us how he was a teacher and resigned to do church work. He is a really nice fellow and we gave him our address after he asked for it so he could write to us.



Daniel up a coconut tree
Michael and Daniel were playing with a bunch of boys and Michael made friends with a boy Wilson who he wants to keep in contact with when we get back. He and the other kids were busy following us around through different villages and showings us around. We walked up to the rock that was over hanging the water which was quite a nice spot. We also found a fenced area that had a heap of pigs in it that was near the rock.We saw Richard who was just about to feed the pigs they are fed on coconut and they only get 2 between them twice a day which we didn’t think was a lot but they seem fat enough.
Michael told him that we had a soccer ball that he could have to share with his friends so he came out to the boat to get it with a couple of boys. They were making bracelets with Kathleen’s beads but it was late and dark before I suggested that they should go home before their parents started worrying. He asked for some of the crumbed chicken I had cooked for tea I gave them a small bit and they left with bracelets they had made with Kathleen’s beads and some other things they had asked for.
The next day Kathleen, Amy and I went snorkeling while Ian and the boys sat in the dingy trying to catch a fish with no success. This was the best snorkeling we have seen so far in PNG before this it has been quite sad really but this still wasn’t as good as what we had seen in Australia. We went for a long swim which was great fun and Amy just makes it even more enjoyable. Daniel and Michael ended up coming for a quick swim and Daniel found a couple of shells then we all went looking for shells we found a couple but most had animals in then Daniel found a nice big one but it had an animal in it also so we put it back.

Ian with all the kids.

Misima

We started making our way to Misima and to Bwagaoia Harbour. It is about 24 miles from Panapompom. We were able to sail pretty much all the way which was a change. On the way we saw some amazing landscapes with cliffs overhanging the water and the land changed from forest to what looked like pasture.
We reached Misima about 2pm and had lunch on the boat before going ashore. We had heard so much about how good the bakery is here and couldn’t believe it when we saw a sign that said closed until further notice. We were standing out the front when Lynette (a Dim Dim) who owned the bakery with her husband came out to say hello. She said that the bakery had run out of flour but it arrived on a boat this afternoon so there would be bread in tomorrow. The bread is made by hand so it won’t be ready until the afternoon. She was telling us about the changes that had happened since the gold mine closed and that this was a safe place and there was no trouble. She was really nice and full of information.

Misima from the harbour

We had been told that one of the shops opens at 4pm so we waited to see what they sold. We need rice, sugar, flour and buckets and we will see what else they have as well. We bought a few things from this shop but they didn’t have buckets or fishing lures which we also need. While we were waitng for the shop to open Amy made friends with a couple of little kids her age and was having a great time playing on their swing set. She didn’t want to leave them but we told her she could see them again tomorrow.


Amy playing with her friends

The next day we went to the market and to the bank. Amy was dying to get up to her friend’s house so Kathleen took her up while we were busy trying to get some money out at the bank. Ian was talking to a man who was still working at the mine he was telling him how they use mercury to clean and wash the gold out. We then went to Amy who had taken some toys over to give to the kids as she was having a great time playing with the yesterday. Amy and Daniel stayed and played hide and seek and chasing Daniel around while went across the street to get bread. We bought buns and a couple of muffins the bread doesn’t come out until the afternoon but it was well worth waiting for especially when you haven’t had bread for ages.

Conflict and Debone Groups

We are headed down towards the debone group it was a fair way so we stopped overnight at the Conflict Group the water was so clear, it really is beautiful there are a couple of islands around but no one lives on them it was nice to stop somewhere that you had to yourself. The kids and I had a snorkel around while Ian tried a bit of trolling but caught nothing. Amy was trying to catch an anemone fish that kept swimming up to her. Kathleen and Michael started cleaning the hull of the boat. I started cleaning the rust marks off the sides and touched up a few areas with paint.

We dropped anchor at this sand cay in the the Conflict Group

We went ashore in the night and had a bit of a fire to burn the plastic rubbish we have. It was very relaxing, laying on the beach watching the stars and satellites. We stayed ashore for a couple of hours with mossie repellant on before going back to the boat.

We pulled up anchor and headed to the Debone Group we arrived in the afternoon there were a couple of other boats from Australia there Lady Bubbly and Crusini. It turns out that the people off Crusini knew our boat Linda’s (off Crusini) brother owned it at one stage. A man Martin came over in his canoe to introduce himself he also told us about a Japanese plane that had come down in the war and he would show us where it was, he also knows of what’s left of an American plane on the land, all of which is left is the prop and he could show us that as well.
Martin showed us the plane in the water which we had a look around it was only small we had been expecting something bigger. It only had one prop left and it was bent. The seats were still there it used to carry 2 people. There were a few fish swimming around it and a bit of coral growing around it.

We went ashore and met a family who was sitting around Julie the mum was making a small bag for her daughter Susie to trade with the yachts that come in. Julie also had made some bags which she had for sale for 10kina I bought one and Kathleen bought one off Julies mum with a butterfly on it for 15kina. They gave us some nuts to try which were quite nice. Amy was having a great time trying to get them out of the shell which is really thick and fibrous. A few kids joined her and Julies mum. Julie asked if we would like to trade some eggs and other things like bananas for some clothes for her 2 older daughters who are at school on another island but are 14 and 9. I traded some eggs but we have enough eggs to last us for the time being.

Julie making a basket that Amy traded with her daughter for.

A few days later in the morning we were going to go over to the village and check out the American aero plane that came down in the war but instead Martin came over and then Linda came over to say hello and gave us the visitors book for the island so we could put an entry in and read some of the other ones this book started in 2002. Kathleen started making an entry for us which turned out really good. They stayed for a while before and we talked and I showed Linda some of the carving that we had bought in Alotau.

This is all that is left of the American Aero Plane which crashed. This prop was moved out of the water where it came down and is all that is left.

Linda told us of some good snorkeling around the corner of the island which they have been checking out. We had the rod over the side with a sardine on it for bait something big took it when we Ian reeled it in it was a cleaner fish about 1 metre long Martin said that they were good to eat so we thought we would give it a try. The kids had gone swimming with the cast net to try and net some sardines but didn’t have any success but they did manage to get a large flute mouth in the net which he also said was good to eat but we gave it to him. We also caught a squid with a sardine which was different.

Michael and Daniel fishing in a school of sardines which they were catching with a hand spear made by one of the local men. We traded for it and the boys were very happy with it.