The marine biodiversity is everything it is reported to be. Lots of everything we see in dive magazine photos. We even did two deep dives to 133 and 150 feet to see pygmy seahorses on giant sea fans. They are well named. Being no larger than one of my fingernails and being the color of their host sea fan, they are barely recognizable. Roger S wasn't convinced that the first one the divemaster pointed out really was a seahorse. He said it looked more like a piece of "lint" on the sea fan.
I am not an underwater photographer and do not spend much time looking for small nudibranchs. So, when I start seeing nudibranchs, you know they are plentiful. And I did see more than usual. The largest was a six inch beauty. It was angel white with a willowy thin membrane around the edge of its body and tall, feather duster gills waving over its ultra smooth white body. Linda l, where were you!? For those of you who are not veterans of many trips with Linda, she loves to photograph nudibranchs One of the reasons is that they "hold still." Fish aren't always as cooperative.
Our ten day itinerary gave us time to visit the Witu Islands, Father's Reef, and Kimbe Bay. Each was unique. The Witu Islands are the remainder of a volcano, Father's Reef is a reef system that is mostly underwater with few islands, and Kimbe Bay is many boomies that rise to within twenty feet of the surface. The diving was relatively easy, from 30-80 feet with little current. Our one strong current location was a spectacular display of schools of Jack, Sharks, Tuna (dinner), etc.
The divemaster, Matt, was great and the crew were very helpful. The only problem was the chef. She was a great cook, and we loved her cooking. However, she learned she was pregnant the day before the trip started and she was suffering from morning sickness, unable to cook soon after we left port. What to do!? Hungry divers must be fed!? Dr. Roger S to the rescue!!! Roger gave her an IV that he had brought for emergencies, and there are few emergencies worse than a sick cook! She was soon on her feet turning out delicious meals. Thank you, Roger!!! Roger was well prepared with three types of IV's and various other antibiotics and medicines. I have been on several trips with Roger, and he always comes "medically" prepared. It sure is nice to have a friendly doctor along who is not afraid to share his medical expertise to help friends in need. A big thank you from all of us to Roger.
Our topside visit to the Huli Wigmen in the PNG highlands was very rewarding. We were fortunate to arrive in time for the funeral proceedings for the local lord mayor who had just died. We witnessed four clans each from his father's and from his wife's family. They paraded and chanted around the hundreds of people at the proceedings. Hundreds of people were clad in their traditional clothing with almost all of the men wearing their famous "wigs." 150 pigs were slaughtered, prepared for cooking, and put in pits of hot coals and rocks and covered with leaves when we were there. Pigs are their form of currency. They only eat them four or five times a year. The lord mayor was an important man! They live on yams the rest of the time.
The steep mountains of PNG are beautifully clad in lush rainforests with rushing streams and cascading waterfalls which we saw on hikes. An early morning "birding" trip rewarded us with viewing several types of beautiful birds of paradise with tail feathers up to two feet long. We also visited the tribes that live on the rivers in the Sepik River region. Their main food was the Sago Palm and fish. We spent one and a half days boating along the Karawari River visiting different tribes. Each had slightly different crafts to sell.
PNG is famous for its native art which includes wood carvings, necklaces, baskets, and of course the famous or should I say "infamous" penis sheaths. The tribes of PNG are often in a state of war for a "payback." If someone in one tribe kills or wrongs someone in a tribe, the other tribe either pays a tribute of pigs or goes to war to "payback." The first tribe must then payback, so the tribes are often at war. Traditionally, in the past, the men wore nothing to war except their famous penis sheaths * When you go to war naked, you must have some protection for your most important part. Needless to say, penis sheaths are a popular souvenir. However, we were surprised to see the women in our group buying them as well as the men. Was this out of self-interest???
On the way home, Marie Y and Jeff L joined me to hike the famous eleven mile trail along the rugged No Pali coast of Kauai, Hawaii to the beautiful, remote Kalalau Beach. We camped their for two days and played in waterfalls and swam in pools in mountain streams. Then we visited Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of Hawaii. As a test of our youth (or should I say age), Marie and I backpacked to the bottom of Waimea Canyon and camped on the river that snakes its way from the wettest spot on earth, Kaui's highest point, to the sea. The canyon was beautiful and so was the river but the climb back out Ouch!
Trip members were Jerry and Debbie L, Jeff L, Judy T, Carl N, Carol S,
Cheryl J, Roger S, Greg G, Larry and Mary L, Marie Y, and yours truly,
Gary Sharp, Trip Leader
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