From Mountains to Seas,

Papua New Guinea

         “Shout our name from the mountains to seas, Papua New Guinea.” The strains of their national anthem still play in my mind. I expected a great dive adventure. I didn’t expect to fall in love.

            Perhaps it was waking anchored in calm inlets to hazy purplish sunrises with the distant call of exotic birds, or looking out at the lush green islands of Milne Bay that contrasted sharply against the clear skies and deep blue waters that drew me in. Without a doubt it was meeting the wonderful people of the villages that dot the islands so far away from the usual conveniences we take for granted.

            Silently the dugout canoes sliced through the water from each village as we neared. Men, women, and children in canoes congregated at the sides and back of the live-aboard with fresh fruits and vegetables to trade for staples like rice and sugar. Some displayed crafts of wood and shells to sell or trade for T-shirts. Some fished. But all watched as we came and went in our dive gear. We were the entertainment for the day.

            The paradise above was magnified in the treasures below. Abundant colorful marine life in all shapes and sizes played over a patchwork quilt of brilliant corals. An abundance of lionfish, countless varieties of nudibranchs, endless fields of anemones with their guardian clownfish, and the unusual--the hairy ghost pipefish, kept us diving back in for more. On this 10 day trip, we were limited only by our ability, stamina, and common sense.

            Diving the wreck of the WWII bomber Blackjack was one that stretched our diving skills. Blackjack (made legendary under the command of Capt. Ken McCullar who died on takeoff in another aircraft) was commanded by Capt. Ralph Deloach when she ran out of fuel in a turbulent storm during a bombing run to Rabaul. The crew attempted to ditch on a shallow reef but missed ending up in deeper water and were rescued by the nearby villagers of Boga Boga. She now rests in 165 feet of water. Under the supervision of divemasters, the more experienced and adventuresome did a decompression dive to 160’ to photograph the props and the gun turret that still turns on the well-preserved body. The rest of us went to 130 feet. Swimming out over the wreck, we had an excellent view of the plane and the divers below.

            A visit to Boga Boga village followed. School children sat on grass mats laid in rows on the dirt floor of their school and participated in a grammar lesson that resembled Wheel of Fortune. The pens I handed out went quickly—the children swarming around me as if it were candy. We shopped the craft market that was set up for our visit and talked with the villagers. Smiles abounded, some stained red with betel nut juice.

            At breakfast one morning, we learned the trap, lowered the night before and baited with chicken yielded a chambered nautilus. Cousin to the octopus, the nautilus lives at depths of 2000 feet but rises to about 500 feet at night to feed on crab and shrimp. No telling us twice to suit up. We descended to 60’ to photograph and examine the mysterious creature who occasionally peeked out of his creamy shell with tanned markings.

            Although my husband and I were both nearing 100 dives when we arrived in PNG, we had never encountered a seahorse before. Knowing they were at Observation Point, we carefully combed the area. Just as we were ready to give up, I looked down to find a yellow seahorse clinging to a bit of reed in the sand near where my hand rested. We were as excited as the shark hunters who had spotted some hammerheads a few days earlier or the photographer who ended up in the middle of schooling barracudas.

            No one missed the 5:30 a.m. call to rise before breakfast and go ashore to visit the Bunama hot springs before the heat of the day made it impossible. On shore, a mother and her children greeted us. “My children want to see the white people,” she said. They followed us through their village to the path leading to the hot springs about a half-mile into the jungle. The tall grasses and bushes gave way to a clearing steaming from the boiling springs of hot mud and water bubbling through the stone floor. We waited a few times for the geyser to perform, took the posed tourist shots and then left as the sun was beginning to heat the morning sky.

            On the way back through the village, a friendly teenager, proud of his pet, allowed the braver souls to hold his five foot green tree snake. I marveled at the simplicity of their life as we passed by the huts on stilts, mostly open with cloth draped for some privacy, and the “kitchens” separate from the sleeping huts that were equipped with a fire pit and some pots and pans.

            A manta ray cleaning station was scheduled for our last morning dive before returning to Alotau and the trip home. We dropped to 30’ and surrounded a small bommie that the mantas were known to frequent. All of us knelt in the sand, bowing to the slight current, watching the waters around us wondering if they would come. The sun shone down, it’s rays playing on the bommie. I suddenly realized it was Sunday. We looked as though we were worshipping at an altar. The mantas never appeared but there was ample opportunity to give thanks for the wonderful sights we had seen and the people we had experienced in the paradise called Papua New Guinea.

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©Karen Robbins All photos and text on these pages are copyrighted in my name. Please obtain permission for their use.

All international flights arrive in Port Moresby. From there, Air Niugini flies to the smaller towns where you can connect with your dive operation. We flew into Alotau, a small one runway airport.

We chose Mike Ball  for both dive trips in February, 2003 and 2004 to explore the Milne Bay area. The Paradise Sport has comfortable accommodations and the food is great. Villagers bring fresh fruit and vegetables out to the boat to trade with the cook for sugar and rice. There was always a bunch of bananas hanging on the back of the Al Fresco deck. Peter Hughes also has an operation in PNG.

Choose between a 7 or 10 day trip. The ten day trip takes you to "unexplored" areas for two days if the weather cooperates. There are also some side excursions on land to the hot springs, a skull cave and a mission that sits on a hill with Kodak picture spots.

One of the highlights is visiting Bora Bora where the villagers set out a market full of trinkets, wood carvings and shells for your shopping pleasure. Our last visit netted a surprise welcome dance by some of the men of the village all in native attire. Parents of school children from other islands are selling items through the school to help fund their child's education. Be sure to take some kina with you. (note: check to make sure your exit fees are covered in your airline ticket before you spend all your kina)

We had a great time with the kids along the way. I took balloons and inflatable beach balls as well as small bottles of bubbles and lollipops. One little girl paddled out her canoe again and again, bringing other kids to the boat to get a treat.

We did not find the mosquitoes to be a problem on the boat and rarely found one on shore. There is the danger of malaria, however. Check with a doctor about taking an antimalarial drug We took larium the first time and didn't like it's effects. Bob complained about feeling like his thought processes were slowed. Others have reported different reactions and some, none at all. There are alternatives. This last trip, we didn't take anything and just lathered on the deet.

Australia is a good predive and postdive place to stop. We stayed in Cairns in 2003 and in Sydney in 2004. There are resorts in PNG but the jury is still out on how safe they are. I've heard good and bad stories.

We have to stop watching our video. Every time we do, we want to return. After all there are other places in the world to see and dive.