Wednesday 14^th November

After a few jobs in Kavieng this morning we motored, as of course there was no wind, to Anelaua Island, near New Hanover Island, with Muscat and Totem.  It has a very colourful history starting out as a leper colony in the 1930’s, built by the Germans. Ruins of hospitals, morgues and cemeteries were amongst the remaining buildings. Very well kept grounds in old German colonial buildings, the only ones left in the area as the others were all bombed in the war. No-one wanted to come near the lepers! Then it was run by the church and now it is run as a technical school, the boys learning carpentry and mechanics while the girls learn sewing, cooking and hospitality. As the teacher pointed as it is hard to keep them apart at that age! No wonder we saw condom wrappers on the ground, at least they are practising safe sex after the sex education department had been over. We had a swim to cool down before having dinner on Totem of delicious sushi, sashimi and Mackerel in caper butter. Mmmmm!

Thursday 15^th November

Another action packed day starting with some donuting on the way over to snorkel and dive on the Japanese bomber plane wreck. Apparently Jamie is even faster than Jeremy! An amazingly well preserved plane wreck in 5-7 metres of water with the visibility being excellent. The wings, fuselage, cockpit were all clearly visible. Schools of tiny fish had made their home in the cockpit while clown fish amongst its anemones were nestled on the wing and a blue sea star wrapped itself onto the fuselage. The children from the school came to join us and it is amazing to see the local boys, with just a pair of goggles held on by a rubber band, free diving to the wreck and staying there for what seemed like a minute to investigate. We took the hooker so were able to have a good look at leisure.

Lots of art and doll making kept the girls busy on Totem before we headed for another snorkel to the reef. It is so exciting to keep seeing new creatures every time we snorkel. We saw a lionfish sheltering under a bommie, a Moray eel eerily sticking out of its hole, Sand Gobies cleaning their holes, Sea urchins, a cleaner wrasse backing into its coral opening and masses of Anemone fish amongst a variety of anemones. The girls enjoyed collecting ‘shell money’ we have identified as Turbo shells, from the white sand. Such a variety of species in a small area! Drinks on Muscat with everyone for the last time for awhile as Totem is heading west tomorrow. We may catch them as we leave with Muscat in a couple of weeks.

Sunday 18^th November

Yesterday we enjoyed morning tea with Sea Glass at Nusalomo Island (2 39.5s. 150. 41e. )and they all loved boogie boarding and making hermit crab homes with masses of them, found on the white beach. A walk on the island with coconuts everywhere was interesting, to see the old bunker and gun left over from the war, when the Japanese were there. On Friday we motored to Ungan Island were we enjoyed a peaceful afternoon swimming to keep cool and lazing under the shade sail on the bow to catch a little breeze.

Back in Kavieng today, we had lots of fun taking the local children on the boogie board behind the tender. Lots of smiles, laughter and fun were had and Michael did some impressive stunts on his surf board. They enjoyed jumping and doing somersaults off the boat and Luwina showed Phoebe how to do back flips!

I think of you all often and am amazed how different our lives are at the moment. Out transport is the boat or a tinny, shopping is done at the market getting whatever fresh fruit and vegetables people have in their gardens at the time and we are still ‘shopping’ from the hatches from our Australian supply. We wear as little as possible, as it is so hot often with not a breath of breeze. Socializing is with the other boats we have been with and a chat to the locals to ask permission to stay in the ‘patch’. We have very little routine and school work is done before it gets too hot or on ‘a field trip’! Their sport is swimming, snorkelling and kayaking. There is always something interesting to see and a friendly Papua New Guinean face to chat to, or trade with. The girls are becoming quite interactive with them now and realise how lucky they are to be Australians and to have such an amazing experience!