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Saturday, October 29 Flight: LAX (Los Angeles) – NAN (Nadi, Fiji)
(we lose a day out-bound)
Monday, October 31 Arrive Fiji.
Lodging: Nila Beach Resort, Lautoka, Fiji, 1 night
Meals to Buy (MTB): B L D
Tuesday, Nov 1 Flight: NAN (Nadi) - BNR (Brisbane) - POM (Port Moresby)
Lodging: ??? Hotel, 2 nights
MTB: B, L, D
Van rental or Avis Bus at Airport
Nov. 1-3 Activities: PNG National Art Museum, others
MTB: B L D
Thursday, Nov. 3 Flight: POM (Port Moresby) – GUR (Alotau, PNG
Lodging: Board yacht, Alotau, 11 days, 10 nights
MTB: B, L // All boat meals included
Thursday, Nov. 4 Day Sail: Alotau to Wagawaga
Where: sail south across Milne Bay 6 nautical miles to the community of Wagawaga. A great place to relax, swim and visit the people. From here we are in good position for tomorrow's early arrival of the canoes. NOTE: We may have an opportunity for everyone to go for ride in their war canoes!
Saturday, Nov. 5 Kenu & Kundu Festival!
Where: from shipboard & in the town of Alotau
Sunday, Nov. 6 Kenu & Kundu Festival!
Where: from shipboard & in the town of Alotau
Monday, Nov. 7 Kenu & Kundu Festival!
Where: from shipboard & in the town of Alotau
Overnight motoring to Hiliwau Bay
Tuesday to Sunday, Nov. 8-13 Yacht Motoring
Milne Bay and northward to neighboring seas, 5 nights
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Boat
eastward out of Milne Bay, rounding East Cape
with Nuakata Island to starboard, north through
Goshen Strait to the skull cave in Hiliwau Bay.
Thence, on to Boga Boga Mission
Hiliwau Bay is only accessible by boat - as are most all the places we will visit in the next 5 days. We will do a village visit and then the Skull Caves, waterfall, snorkeling/diving as we wish. This is one of the most beautiful shore coral reefs in the world. The famous cave with stacks of skulls is accessed via a wood stairway. When we exit the local grapevine will have spread word of our visit and locals will be present to sell your their handicrafts!
The main town of Bogaboga and the Tara Kwaruru tidal creek the empties into Hiliwau Bay are located on Cape Vogel.
Overnight to Bogaboga, good artifacts and beautiful village. Possible dive over the top of Blackjack, a famous B17 Flying Fortress..
Wednesday, Nov. 9
Boat
eastward from Cape Vogel, crossing Ward Hunt Strait,
through Moresby Strait
separating Goodenough and Fergusson Islands
Goodenough Island in the Solomon Sea, also known as Nidula Island, is the westernmost of the three large islands of the D'Entrecasteaux Islands. Roughly circular in shape it is 39 by 26 kilometres (24 by 16 mi) with a shoreline of 116 kilometres (72 mi). From a coastal belt the island rises sharply to the summit of Mount Vineuo, 2,536 metres (8,320 ft) above sea level, making it one of the most precipitous islands in the world.
Fergusson Island is largest of the D’Entrecasteaux Islands and lies 3 km across Dawson Strait from Normanby Island and 4 km from Goodenough Island across Moresby Strait. Its highest peak at 6,801 feet (2,073 metres) near Wadalei in the north-east of Fergusson Island is an extinct volcano although there are still geysers and fumaroles.
Thursday, Nov. 10
Boat
eastward thru the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, thru the Amphlett Group,
skirt the southern tip of the Trobriands, to the Marshall Bennett Islands
Brief stop on Gumawana Island in the Amphlett Group. The Marshall Bennetts are remote, spectacular islands (Iwa, Kwaiawata, Gawa and others) and are known for their fine carvers. They build/carve great ocean going canoes complete with full sail setups.
Friday, Nov. 11
Boat
Visit Kwaiawata & Gawa Islands for artifacts, overnight south to Egum Atoll
Egum Atoll (Egum Reef) is a large, rectangular-shaped composite of reefs and islands, located between the D'Entrecasteaux, Woodlark and Trobriand island groups, in Milne Bay Province, PNG. It measures approximately 33km by 20km in size. Technically it is not a true atoll, but a reef-topped carbonate bank (like the Trobriand Islands). In the north and east the reefs are shallow with breaking ocean waves; this is also where the islands are located. The southern and western reefs are deeper (5-15m), and there are no islands in this area. Great for diving and snorkeling!
Visit Yanaba Island and Egum Islet with great trading canoes and the possible purchase of Prow Boards.
Saturday, Nov. 12
Boat
west thru the narrow strait between Fergusson & Normanby Islands
thence south and east thru the Goshen Strait back toward Milne Bay & Alotau
Normanby once produced gold and deposits are now being found to work again. It is also a timber and copra exporter. // Overnight return to Alotau
Sunday, Nov. 13 Disembark Boat
Flight: GUR (Alotau) to POM (Port Moresby)
Lodging: ??? Hotel, Port Moresby, 1 night
MTB: L, D
Monday, Nov. 14 Flight: POM (Port Moresby) - BNE (Brisbane) - NAN (Fiji)
(leave
POM ??am Arrive NAN ??pm)
Lodging: Nila Beach Resort, Lautoka, Fiji, 3 nights
MTB: B, L, D
Thursday, Nov. 17 Flight: NAN (Fiji) - LAX (Los Angeles)
(leave
NAN ??am Arrive LAX ??pm, Nov. 17)
(we regain the day lost on the out-bound legs)
missing our new friends already!
Trip Extensions
There are none scheduled for this tour. But! if you have time, Australia is not far.
And, I may try to get to Borneo to photograph orangutans after we finish the festival trip.
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