Date

Time

Decription

 Madang

 Wed 14 Sep

 Madang

 Madang/Rabaul

 Fri 16 Sep

 Papua New Guinea Independence Day

Sat 17 Sep

0500

2130

West New Britain – East New Britain  Weather clear skies until we neared Rabaul with some heavy rain showers.

Abeam Talasea, travelling at 9.6kts for Rabaul.

Arrived Kokopo, dropped anchor at Rapopo Resort, arranged for refuelling and for Abela Family to join us on Sunday for their charter to Kavieng.

Sun 18 Sep

6000 litres

0800

1330

1430

1500

Rapopo – Simpson Harbor – Rapopo – Duke of York  (45nm)  Weather clear in morning, some rain showers in afternoon.

After contacting Islands Petroleum, we arranged to take on fuel in Rabaul at 0930.  We arrived as planned, but IP lost keys to their wharf, had the wrong fittings for to refill and it took until 1330 to refill the vessel (6000 litres)

Departed Rabaul Harbour

Arived Ropopo Resort

Abela Family boarded Kalibobo Spirit and we departed through the Pidgeon islands to Duke of York Islands where the ship overnighted

Mon 19 Sep

1200

1400

  1630

Duke of York Islands – Watom – New Ireland (29nm) Weather clear in morning, late afternoon SE winds and showers.

Weather overcast and light rain.  Angelo & Girls went fishing bought back 2 small mackeral and a barracuda. 

Departed Duke of York Islands, travelled NW to Watom Island.

Arrive Vukuro Village, Watom Island where we managed to reverse into a small bay flanked either side by reef and drop off which was later explored.

A SE wind began blowing which dictated a quick exit from the anchorage and we travelled along the South Coast of New Ireland a distance of 100nm, smooth passage with following sea.   Dinner Prawn Cocktail, Scotch Steak & Apple Pie

Tue 20 Sep

0600

Arrive Djual Island.  (100nm) Weather overcast and rain.

Angelo went fishing, caught nought but cam back with a revelation that there was a beautiful beach, islands on the other side of Island.  We travelled swiftly around to what we call Angelo’s Cove and before lunch most went snorkelling or diving.  In the afternoon we plan to continue exploring the SE side of Djaul Island and Phoenix Harbour.  The girls caught some squid which were eaten for lunch, in the afternoon continue onto Palmen Harbour to explore this part of Djaul Island.  Heavy rain persisted cancelling the visit into the Mangroves but Sir Peter took a tender for approx 10kms through Mangroves which opened up into the Bismarck Sea.  Overnight at anchor amongst the Mangroves in Palmen Harbour.  Dinner, Crème of Chicken, Norwegian Salmon & Cappuccino Cheese Cake.

Wed 21 Sep

0600

Dual Is – Lemus Island  (40nm)  Weather perfect!

Angelo & Company went early morning fishing.  Catch 2 Mackeral

Depart Palmen Harbour sail across the strait to the entrance of Kavieng Harbour and the Island of Lemos.  Anchor off an adjacent island where Peter, Angelo, Kylie, Sibo visited the mansion constructed by Ian Ling Stuckey, along with a Haus Kibung and a tourist lodge under construction due to be completed later this year.  Words do not do justice to all majestic buildings built from beautiful Kwila, steel and cement in this most isolated island in paradise.  We will download pictures to give some idea of the magnitude of this venture on Lemus Island.

We returned to the Kalibobo Spirit where the remainder of the family had gone ashore to swim on a sand spit jutting into the aqua clear waters of the surrounding sea.   Angelo, Innie set off in the banana boat to fish with our new guide,  To-nights catch 4 mckeral and 1 trevally.  Menu tonight, Fresh Sashimi, Rack Lamb and Banana Cake. 

Thu 22 Sep

0600

0800

1400

Lemus Is – Tsoi & Liklik Tsoi - Weather rain shows and SE Squalls then clearing with good dun throughout the day.

Angelo and Adrian out fishing.  Rest of the group sleep in.

Depart Lemus with Penial II, a guide we borrowed from Lemus to show us the inside passage to Tsoi Island.  We later found out that due to low tide the inside passage was not possible due to the low tide so we travelled by sea to reach Tsoi and New Hanover.  We caught 5 good size Mackeral from the Kalibobo Spirit enroute.

Arrive Tsoi Island anchorage, dropped anchor and went ashore through the backwater to reach liklik Tsoi.  On arrval we were met by Robinson Kekesek who gave our guests a look at their traditional guest house built primarily of local material, but providing very acceptable accommodation with clean showers, toilets, water, kitchen and dining room which enable the guests to cook meals, or staff of the Lilik Tsoi Guest House to prepare simple meals.

Angelo and the fisging team went fishing with Innie, they hookd a big one but it got away.  AT dinner we invited Robinson and his Brother Greg for dinner which was Kylie' Kurry.

In evening Robinson Kekesek and his Brother Greg joined us for dinner.  count of the day was approx 8 mackeral, plus a couple of tuna and a baraccuda.

Fri 23 Sep

0600

Tsoi Island & New Hanover - Weather some passing showers, otherwise mostly sunny with slight SE breeze.

Angelo and Innie went fishing.  The remainder of the family visited the market on New Hanover and in the afternoon will visit Mansava for swimming, snorkelling and diving.  The trip to the markets by zodiac was a little longer than we had been advised, after an hour we eventually arrived only to find the marke was sold out!   The people quickly responded by offering us a bunch of bananas for K5, we pai K10 which was a bargain considering costs of bananas in Melbourne.

In afternoon the Abela visited Mansava, another guest house run by Boston, a well known character.  More fishing, swimming and snorkelling.   The girls caught 5 mackeral, Angela another couple and during the afternoon Dr Jephro Usurup and his wife dropped in to say hello!  They later joined us for baked Lamb Dinner with very expensive banana fritters.

There was agood mood aboard after hearing that Collingwood won!

Sat 24 Sep

0700

Kavieng Islands - Lemus - Nusasolomon Island.  Weather passing rainshowers from SE with some sun.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLIE!

Cruising back to Lemus, we had more luck in catching another 6 mackeral plus a baraccuda and a skijack.  On arrival we dropped anchor at Nusasolomon Island and enjoyed a hot curry chicken dinner whilst it poured.   After lunch the weather cleared and the boys are off for a dive, Angelo will not doubt go fishing and the reest relaxing aboard.

Tonight we will have a Birthday dinner consisting to lobsters and those that that do not like, chicken schnitzel.  I will attempt to download the dinner menu on a pdf fil to the website.

I am advised that some of those accessing the log feel we are a little slack.  The problem we have apart from myself is that we get intermittent signal strength which is most frustrating.  I also have bad eye sight and cannot read a lot of what I write, this along with spelling mistakes add to the confusion.  Sorr abot this, we will ultimagtely correct the logs when we reurn to Madang.

See pictures of Kylie and her Birthday Dinner!

Sun 25 Sep

0600

1200

1500

Kavieng Islands and Harbour - Excellent weather, slight NE breeze.

Agelo, Matt, William, Chantello will all go out fishing on their last morning in Kavieng. - Caught one miserable Skipjack Tuna.

At lunch, a beach BBQ on an Ral island.  Excellent day bathing in crystal clear waters, snorkelling and enjoying good wine and food on the uninhabited Island.  

Departed Ral Island and cruise into Kavieng Harbour docking on the National Fisheries wharf to take on fuel and load lobster, coral trout, and other fish for Madang.  Whilst this process was underway, the Abela Family took again to the boats to visit the Malagan Beach Resort to see if they can purchase  handicraft, necklaces to take back as souvenirs.

Tonight a Farewell dinner aboard the Kalibobo Spirit with the crew on deck.

Mon Sep 26

4000 litres

0500

0500

0600

0600

Kavieng - Madang

Abela Family transfer to Kavieng Airport

Depart Kavieng aboard Air Niugini for Port Moresby and Australia.

Kalibobo Spirit departs Kavieng for Madang

Tue Sep 27

At Sea Kavieng - Madang - 36 hours

Weather enroute perfect, calm seas, sun and plenty of time to rest. 

Wed Sep 28

1000

MADANG

In evening dinner party for Phil Franklin aboard the Kalibobobo Spirit to celebrate his wife's Birthday, Louise! 

Thu Sep 29

2000

Dinner Function for Sir John & Lady Anna Middleton at the Madang Resort to launch the book "My life on Lar Kar Island"

Departed Madang for Cairns. weather fine, some rain but relatively calm sailing.

Sep 30/Oct 04

MADANG/CAIRNS - total distance 986nm

The route was via Vitiaz Straits, Finchafen, Mitre Rock, Cape Nelson, Tufi, Cape Vogel, East Cape (Milne Bay) China Strait, Bruner Island then across the Coral sea to Bougainville Reef, Grafton Passage and into Cairns where the ship was cleared by quarantine, customs, immigration.  Quarantine removed all our chicken, vegetables and meat but were impressed with the cleanliness off the vessel.  Lady Janet, my wife joined us for dinner aboard and we overnighted at the Cairns Marina amongst the "superyachts"

Wed Oct 04

0700

CAIRNS MARINA/NORSHIP SLIPWAY

Just a short distance down Trinity Inlet to Norship Shipyard where it was lifted out of the water, hull cleaned and placed on the hardstand for the surveyor to inspect and general maintenance to be carried out to the vessel which was in fine condition, with the eception of one of our Westmar stabilizers which need to be repaired from a manafacturing falt.

Oct 02/Oct 23

CAIRNS

The vessel will remain on the handstand until all work is complete and the hull is antifouled ready to be refloated in approximately one week.

One of the major defects found was that the WESMAR Stabilisers had come adrift from the shaft which is a manufacturing fault.   We have sent pictures to Wesmar in Seattle and although they have assisted by sending drawings, the fact remains that it it poor design and manafacture and we intend to take what ever actiuon is necessary to have both stabilisers rectified at the cost of Wesmar.

 An extra weel has been spent in Cairns to upgrade our navigation and communication system, we now have Wifi aboard and have carried out some refurbishing of the vessel and it is now laden with cargo for Madang.

 Mon Oct 24

All crew are aboard this evening in readiness to depart at 0600 tomorrow for Madang.

Tue Oct 25

0600

Depart Cairns for Madang.  We are expecting 15/20kt winds from SE with seas of around 1.5-2m which should be relatively comfortable.  The weather conditions are expected to improve across the Solomon Sea and by the time we reach Milne Bay we expect the waves to be less than 1m.

Wed Oct 26

At Sea via Bougainville Reef

Thu Oct 27

0800

Arrive Bruner Island, cruise through the beautiful Cuna Straits to East Cape and then head NW via Cape Vogel, Tufi, Finschafen and Madang.

Fri Oct 28

At Sea - Sea Conditions excellent.

Sat Oct 29

0800

Arrive Madang, clear customs, migration, health and quarantine formalities. Crew quickly dispersed to their waiting families whilst the ship was cleaned and the task of unloading some of the cargo took place.