Milne Bay PNG cruising adventure- october – December 2017

Milne Bay PNG here we come.

Our getting to PNG Plan

From Cairns we stoll up behind the shelter of the Ribbon Reefs, jump across to Osprey Reef for a brief rest, then two days of crappy beam on seas to PNG. We will land at Samari to the south of Milne bay proper,  before the ripping China Strait.

What will we find when we first arrive

We have never been to the southern part of the Milne Bay province  before. We are excited about prospects of diving a Manta Ray cleaning station at Gona Bara Bara island , exploring whats left of the once bustling Island of Samaria and diving under its old wharfs to check out the unique critters. I also wonder about the Island of Doini, looks to be perfect anchorage and apparently there is a little resort there which could be interesting

                                We love the diving around Milne Bay.

Moving around Milne Bay.

After that, we are in familiar territory: inside the bay, North at the beautiful Tawali resort, and messing about east with our good friends at the Nuakata Islands (They are always up to a little adventure helping us look for old wrecks and showing off their fishing skills). It will be great to catch up with old friends plus have a more in depth experience than last year both on land and under the water. Unique bird life, hidden shipwrecks and not forgetting that B17 bomber waiting in 50m of clear water for us to photograph.

Tawali Resort is a totally secure place to visit with superb facilities surrounded with great diving and scenery. l.ooking forward to our return.

To visit our 2016 Tawali resort story click here.

New security

Villagers are wonderfully hospitable people; never the less PNG is somewhat lacking in Law and order as we know it here in Australia and we did strike some petty theft on our previous visit. I have rewatched the movie:” Home Alone” and now have motion sensors, blaring music & flashing lights as a deterrent to petty theft. Of course just having good relationships with the locals and making sure nothing of value is left on the deck is essential. * I am trying not to think about the possibility of Rascols…Ahhhhh. 

Surviving the heat

This time of the year It gets damn hot anchored behind steamy mountains. It slowed us down quite a bit last time around. We have now installed installed more fans inside, and there is fuel at reasonable prices available at Alotau, so if need be we’ll use the aircon if we start melting. I hope my new “cool care wet hat” will help as well as provide a laugh.
Hope to have some good stories to tell and pictures to show when we return around Christmas.

Cheers captain Rob and first mate Syl

M.V. Flash dancer

To see out 2016 images of the PNG Milne Bay province click here.

            * To see our story of cruising Milne bay South click here

              Will be wonderful to catch up with our friends at the Nuakata islands