Solomons, PNG & Palau

[yachtdaemon]

Hi,
We are heading up to the Solomons & PNG next August, and then possibly to Palau on the way to the Philippines. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to go, what to see, what to avoid etc? We are undecided about Palau - is it worth the bureauctratic hassles?

Opinions, please.

Jill
SV Daemon

[Michael Jones]

Flew to Palau last year for diving and it was great diving! Beautiful Rock Islands, nice people, etc. Does the wind ever blow there though?? It was incredibly flat most of the time so just wondering if a person has to motor most of the way there...
Mike

[yachtdaemon]

Thanks for that info, it looks more & more like we may head that way, as it seems the entry nightmare has been relaxed a little.

Re: windlessness - after having spent 2006 sheltering huddled in various ports in the Pacific or hove to at sea, and undergoing several periods of "meteorological exhuberance" in 2007 I'm liking the sound of this! Mind you after 4 days of diesel noise I can see it may get old...

We are thinking of hiring Daemon out as a rainmaker - everywhere we go we seem to bring a weather change - currently in Brisbane in Queensland "The Sunshine State" which has been in drought mode for the last few years, and it has rained since Xmas with no relief in sight! Expect cyclones in Palau when we get there! Yes, I know, just because I'm paranoid doen't mean they're not out to get me!

[shadow]

LOL, you seem to have my exact Magic!! It seems where ever I go, it seems to always be the worst possible case scenario. Like, it has never rained this much, ever. Or, it has never been this cold in 35 years!.

So, it seems that we should hopefully never cross paths as it could either be the ultimate worst case scenario.. Or, perhaps we would cancel each other out and it would be perfect weather conditions!!

[surfingminniwinni]

Keep us posted on how it goes, Solomons PNG are my dream destinations.

Cheers,

Glenn

Southcoast 36 Yacht Owners

[Pelagic]

Palau is a great place! I have sailed there many times and the diving is still one of the best “established” spots, in the world.

Take a look at Sam’s Dive Tours at www.samstours.com and check out Royal Belau Yacht Club under the “additional in house services” to give you details.

Sam is a great guy (American) and the commodore of the club. Very well connected and the best person to help you enjoy your visit.

Yachts inbound to Palau are invited to contact rbyc@samstours.com for information and or assistance with Entry Clearance. We'll provide courtesy notice of your pending arrival to Immigration, Port Control and Customs. There is no charge for our assistance. Please pass this information to other yachts.
Vessel Entry Permits for Malakal Harbor, Koror, Palau are $50 each, valid for 30 days, and may be purchased upon arrival (a recent change).
Visiting yachts are invited to come around to the Yacht Club anchorage AFTER they have completed Vessel Entry Clearance. We can assist with finding a suitable anchorage or available mooring.
Palau Port Control monitors VHF Channel 16 during Government Business Hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Vessels must CHECK IN immediately upon arrival. Call + 680-775-0419 to contact Port Control Duty Officer

[surfingminniwinni]

WoW Palau, looks magical, do you know if it has any surf?


Glenn

Southcoast 36 Yacht Owners

[Steve Pope]

There used to be a yacht club in Bougainville, was a great place, quite a good harbour there, 20 knots is considered a gale. Bougainvillians are great people, they used to like kiwi's, probably still do. They've had many hard years from the PNG military but the horizon looks more settled now than it has for a long time.
Gizo is a good yachting stop, though they have recently had an earthquake there.

[yachtdaemon]

Thanks Pelagic, glad to hear it has got easier to get into Palau, so looks like we will be heading that way, and we certainly be in touch if we do.

Glen, I post on our website when I get to places with reasonable internet, so start checking Home towards the end og the year for my usual freeflow blurb on places, people & things we've experienced in Solomons & PNG.

Steve, have been vaguely considering Bougainville, but a bit put off by the troubles - any idea of how safe it is now?

[Steve Pope]

I'm sure it is safe now, there has been peace for at least the last couple of years, I imagine that the island is still pretty depressed though with the mine unlikely to open again. That being said the mine only employed a few of the locals, they brought in "red skins" (Bougainvillians are black) from the mainland so they could control the labour. So it probably isn't as bad, during the troubles the authorities stopped all medical supplies to the island leading to many deaths from treatable diseases to maleria whick killed people by the hundreds especially children. It is a place that I would not hesitate to visit, but I have fondness for these friendly folk. Speaking pidgin would help anyone visiting. Check noonsite if they have any info re PNG restrictions on stopping there.

[Daisydog]

My husband and I spent 2 years in these areas 5 years ago but little probably changes. We loved it. Preferred Solomon Islands over PNG but still really glad we did PNG. It was strange at PNG as at some anchorages we were made more than welcome and at others we were waved away. It probably didn't help that we were there during the coup :-) Amazing diving at PNG but very strong currents. I think it helped that we flew a 6ft All Black flag which clearly identified us as kiwis.

Solomon Islands - don't miss Marovo Lagoon. World Heritage area from memory. There was a particular Island called Uepi Island with diving from the beach. Really friendly Aussie couple ran it then. Good advice from someone to learn Pidgin. Easy to learn and the locals appreciated it. Lots of sharks but you quickly get used to them and they pretty much ignore you. I was a lot more worried about the crocs - nasty beasties. You'll have a great time.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Daisydog

... Good advice from someone to learn Pidgin. Easy to learn and the locals appreciated it ...

Melanesian pidgin English (Tok Pisin) combines English (with a Chinese slant), and the syntax of local Melanesian languages.

Tok Pisin vocabulary as spoken in Papua New Guinea:

English to Tok Pisin:
Tok Pisin - Pidgin / English Dictionary

Tok Pisin to English:
Sort Tok Pisin > English

[Boracay]

My memory of Papua and New Guinea is that the language situation is very complicated. There were over 700 languages.

Pidgin was a corruption of German and English and was only spoken (originally) in New Guinea (the German mandate that was annexed by the British and handed over to Australia).

The language around Port Moresby is Motu. I picked up a smattering growing up there.

It's probably all melded together now.

[Glenn C]

Hi, I had the pleasure of acouple of years cruising PNG & solomos mid 80's followed by 3 years on Bougainville Island. had absolutely no problems and people were fantastic. favourite spots, Milne bay, Hemoe Bay, Sewa bay normanby island, I could go on and on, but I found Alan Lucas cruising guide helpful to get an idea, along with the pilots. Certainly the sail from Rabaul down through Bougainville island, Kieta fantastic harbour and sensational diving, south through shortlands to Solomons just magical. If you do get to Bougainville consider doing the couple of hundred miles east to the Mortlocks, as these are ethnically Polynessian Islands and quite different. In those days people were very friendly and happy to trade all sorts of stuff for food, carvings etc. Me I did it in my Roberts 36 ketch built and sailed from Melbourne.....Right now I am saving up for a Lightwave 45 and ready to do it all again in style. Glenn

[surfingminniwinni]

Hi Glenn,

I have been led to beleive there is great surf on Bougainville Island? did you see any? If all is well I hope to be heading that way next year on our Roberts Design South Coast 36. Goodluck with the Lightwave.

Cheers,