Papua New Guinea: Tufi, New Ireland & Milne Bay | X-Ray Mag Issue #50

Tufi, New Ireland & Milne Bay

PapuaText and photos by Chritopher New Bartlett Guinea

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Is there another country Located just south of the Equator anywhere with so much and to the north of Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a diversity? The six million diver’s paradise with the fourth inhabitants of this nation of largest surface area of coral reef mountains and islands are ecosystem in the world (40,000km2 spread over 463,000km2 of of reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves in 250,000km2 of seas), and mountainous tropical for- underwater diversity with 2,500 ests and speak over 800 species of fish, corals and mol- different languages (12 luscs. There are more dive sites percent of the world total). than you can shake a stick at with many more to be discovered and Papua New Guinea occu- barely a diver on them. The dive pies half of the third largest centres are so far apart that there island in the world as well is only ever one boat at any dive site. as 160 other islands and It is one of the few places left in Moorish idoll (above); There are colorful cor- 500 named cays. the world where a diver can see als everywhere (left); Schools of fish under the dive boat in the harbor (top). PREVIOUS PAGE: Clown anemonefish on sea anemone

36 X-RAY MAG : 50 : 2012 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Diver and whip corals on reef; Beach view at Tufi; View of the fjords of travel PNG from the air PNG

the misty clouds at the swath of trees below, occasionally cut by the hairline crack of a path or the meandering swirls of a river. The jagged peaks of the Owen-Stanley range that run down the spine of the island weren’t that far away, as we headed east from Port Moresby to Tufi. The landscape was rugged to say the least, and it was easy to understand why both Australian and Japanese troops had struggled during the Second World War bat- tles there. As we approached the east coast of Oro Province, the spectacular fjords of Cape Nelson came into view—a strange mix of gla-

cial action now topped by lush tropical forest, with aqua coral reefs surrounding the headlands clearly visible in the cobalt blue of the Solomon Sea. Banking steeply, we lined up with the gravel airstrip and touched down. Two 4WD vehicles were wait- ing for us to take us on the one- minute drive to the resort. With a fruit juice in hand, we whizzed through the usual paper- work and were asked to leave our dive gear outside our rooms in 20 minutes and meet at the reception area from where we were taken down to the dive centre. Less than 90 macro critters, pelagics and big stuff as sure that the reefs are not fished. minutes after landing, the five of us well as fantastic soft and hard corals. So, where to go? We set off on a plus instructor Glen and dive master The often misused and abused adjec- four-resort tour to the north and the Alex were in a boat and heading off tive, ‘pristine’, is actually appropriate south taking in the provinces of Milne across the flat sea to Bev’s Reef—part here due to low fishing pressure in the Bay, Oro and New Ireland. of the mid-distance reef system and area in comparison to other areas of one of the several Tufi reefs with a the Coral Triangle, no dynamite fish- Tufi manta cleaning station. Using a well- ing and a system implemented by Sitting at the back of the De Havilland drawn dive site map, Glen laid out dive resorts whereby local reef owners Twin Otter with my partner, Imi, and the plan for a drift dive, and off we receive a small fee for every diver who an American Mom-Dad-and-teenage- went. visit their reef. As a result, elders make son-combo in front, I peered through

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Bev’s Reef. Imi hadn’t dived for four aphanes) which has the peculiar habit months, and I had the new camera, so off shedding its skin every three months we were planning on just chilling and or so. Photographers search for these getting comfortable again—a wall dive for days and days, and here I was seemed ideal. Rolling in, we both burst pointing an unfamiliar camera at one into grins not just from the simple pleas- after barely 30 minutes in the water. It ure of being in the water again, but turned out to be the first of two that I because of the clear blue water filled saw, but it was the start of a long list of with corals, reef fish and colourful pur- new sightings for me. ple, yellow and white sea squirts. There were nudibranchs and schools of fusi- Veale’s Reef. One of Tufi’s signature liers and snappers, whitetip reef sharks sites is Veale’s Reef, often dived on the and three of the nine species of anem- same trip as Bev’s. Veale’s is often fre- onefish found in PNG. quented by an albino hammerhead, Wending our way slowly at the back but not on this occasion. Still, it was of the group, coming over the top of hard to grumble with all the schools of a coral outcrop to have a gander for baitfish, barracuda, black and white big stuff that might be hanging out in snapper, batfish, some Spanish mack- the current, I had to do a double take. erel, as well as a swift-moving green tur- Sitting there next to a crinoid was one tle and a couple more whitetips swim- of PNG’s underwater grails—a black ming around. We certainly had enough Merlet’s or lacy scorpionfish (Rhinopias to talk about over a late but delicious CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Outrigger trip; Lacy scorpionfish; Tufi Resort; Nudibranch flabellina; Barraduca

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CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Diver on Cyclone Reef; Life on Nuggets Reef; Diver explor- ing healthy reef; Grey reef shark on Jack Daniels Reef

lunch on the veranda. head sharks cruising past. his hands as soon as we were down Jack Blue Ribbon Reef. Some reefs are just a Minor Reef is nearby and often dived Daniel’s slope and onto the wall. Within short trip away, such as Blue Ribbon Reef in tandem with Cyclone. The reef top a couple of minutes, he had attracted just round the runway headland, which sits a few metres below the surface, and the attention of four grey reef sharks. we dived during a tropical storm. The its plate and staghorn corals bask in They didn’t seem very used to human sea turned an atmospheric deep blue as the sunlight illuminating the damselfish interaction and kept their distance, as we searched for, you guessed it, ribbon that adorn them, making it a great spot did a couple of sea turtles. The sharks eels. Not all ribbon eels are blue—far for no-flash photography. It is named occasionally darted a bit closer to recce from it, in fact. They are all born black after the large bright yellow and black us odd-looking, large, bubble-blowing with a yellow dorsal stripe; adult females Notodoris minor nudibranch that is often creatures, and a couple of whitetip reef are yellow with a black anal fin with found there. sharks came by for a look, too. white margins on the fins, and only adult Back at the resort, looking at the maps With our appetites for diving well and males are blue with a yellow dorsal fin. on the walnut-panelled walls gives one truly whetted, we went for an afternoon a better sense of the remoteness and dive off the public wharf. It is talked up Outer reefs. The outer reefs are a the size of the area. Whole swathes as a photographer’s delight and one of 30-minute boat ride away, and Cyclone of the Solomon Sea, starting where the best spots in the world for so-called Reef is one of them. The story goes Cyclone and Minor Reefs are marked, muck-diving. Muck-diving gets its name that it appeared from nowhere after a are uncharted. There are basically reefs from apparently uninteresting sites that severe storm in 1972, brought up from everywhere out there. can be either silty, sandy, muddy or just the depths by the elements. Its very top Jack Daniels and Nuggets are two rather barren-looking, but are actually breaks the surface of the sea and is a recently discovered reefs, and Glen and home to a large number of small, weird haven for mating seabirds. Over the his brother, Archie, were keen to get us and wonderful creatures. edge, it drops away into a wall dive, out to them. Armed with a small plas- once again buzzing with reef life, and tic bottle with a little water in it, Archie Tufi Wharf. Tufi’s wharf dive site is more out in the blue, we spied two hammer- began crunching and rolling it between of a junk dive than a muck dive. The

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sloping wall of the fjord is littered with Topside activities. If three or four dives a debris from the harbour’s previous life day is a bit too much, there is plenty to as a torpedo patrol boat base during do to fill your surface time actively. On WWII, dumping of old bits of machinery, Sunday, we were paddled up McLaren the odd fuel drum and some girders, Sound in an outrigger and advanced which were no doubt formerly part of into the forest until it became too shal- the jetty. There are also the remains of low to make further progress. a PT boat and its torpedoes down at 45 After a short walk, we were given an metres. However, there was more than insight into village life, traditions, the uses enough along the fjord slope and wall of various plants and trees and viewed to keep us occupied, with ornate and demonstrations of tattooing and sago- robust ghostpipefish, frogfish, ringed making before being paddled back pipefish, common seahorse, loads of to the dive boat, which whisked us to nudibanchs, crab-eye gobies, anemon- a white sand beach on the headland efish, mantis shrimp, cleaner shrimp and opposite the resort for a barbecue lunch lionfish to gander at. Plus, 50 metres past and afternoon swim. the remains of the torpedo boat wharf In the afternoon, you can also walk were more walls, little caves and tons of through the village, or amble down to sponges on the corner of the harbour. the dock, and watch the locals from If you fancy a fourth dive in a day, the surrounding area come in on their dusk dives are available, and Alex and outriggers for a trip to the store by the Archie—the eagle-eyed guides—are wharf or to trade in the village. There is experts at finding nocturnal action right a steady trickle of comings and goings by the wharf, including brightly-pat- if people-watching is your thing, but terned mandarinfish. the main event is the Saturday evening CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Fang blenny; Nudibranch Kune’s chromodoris; Ornate ghostpipefish; Seahorse; Map pufferfish cleaned by a wrasse; Crab-eye or twin-spot goby

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Tiny anemone shrimp on tube anemone; Whip coral goby; Spinecheek anemonefish; Catalina flying boat wreck; Nusa Resort

the small beaches, and was another opportunity for us we’d see an outrig- to experience the friendly nature of ger parked upon the the locals. shore and hear voices New Ireland’s diving has a repu- in the distance, mainly tation for pelagics and sharks that children whooping with laughter, frolicking unseen in the trees. It is certainly a place that should inspire happi- ness.

New Ireland Two hours’ flight north- east of Port Moresby, wharf market that springs up when with a ten-minute stop in West New the weekly ferry comes in from Britain near the site of PNG’s last Popandetta. That said, I would have volcanic eruption, lies Kavieng, the gladly dived the sites we did over capital of New Ireland Province. and over again; every dive was a Located at the northern tip of a “Wow dive”. 380km-long island, sleepy Kavieng On our final afternoon, we took a and its 11,000 inhabitants hold few two-seater canoe and paddled up attractions for most of the trickle of the fjord, hearing the sounds of the tourists who venture here to dive forest as we went. We canoed the and to surf and no accommoda- deep blue in the centre of the fjord, tion worth staying in. Yet, if you like apparently bottoming out around wandering around dusty betel nut- 200 metres below, and would pop stained streets and dim and musty over to the shallow reef tops for shops, an afternoon in town after a dip and a snorkel. At many of a dive is an interesting experience

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CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Dwarf hawkfish; Diver and large purple branching soft coral; Wreck of the Japanese Jake WWII airplane; Der Yang wreck; Chalet at Nusa Island Retreat; Diver and large cuttlefish

opposite Kavieng harbour in the morning, he and his wife, Cara, took us to sites in both the Bismarck Sea and South Pacific Ocean. Some of the South Pacific sites such as the trevally- and anemone-festooned Echuka Patch and the Der Yang shipwreck were less than a ten-minute putter away. The Japanese Pete and Jake float planes sta- tioned here when Kavieng was under war- time occupation, were so close we’d arrived before we could kit up, as were the remains of a Catalina flying boat and several unex- ploded bombs.

are attracted by the fresh deep water that Bismark Sea dive sites. The Bismark Sea sites is flushed between the multitude of small were a little further—about half-an-hour islands and passages making up the area; away—but are well worth the trip through dogtooth tuna, Spanish mackerel, trevally, the islands and mangroves. Albatross barracuda and blacktip, whitetip, silvertip Passage has stunning soft coral coverage and grey reef sharks all came out to play. and a wide range of fish, with pygmy sea- New Ireland also has a good mixture of horses, cuttlefish, dogtooth and sharks. On vibrant and colourful reefs, a few interest- an incoming tide, it is a truly excellent dive. ing muck-diving sites and WWII plane wrecks Down by the wall and on the sandy shelf, it aplenty. is calm but ends with a safety stop on reef Dorian Borcherds, joint-owner of Kavieng hooks watching the action below as the cur- Scuba Ventures, has a wealth of knowledge rent pumps past. of both the Japanese and Allied planes On the way back, the B-25 Stubborn found in the area. Picking us up from the Hellion awaits in 12 metres of water on the doorstep of our villa on the water’s edge, edge of the mangroves. Sixty-eight years under the palm trees at Nusa Island Retreat after crashing into the sea after sustaining

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THIS PAGE: Scenes from freshwater cave diving; Fan coral at Nusa (above)

With two torches The environment and total stillness each, we care- were enthralling in their own right, but twin-machineguns in the top aft tur- diving seriously. It fully slipped into what it was even more thought-provoking ret. The current can also adversely was only after we’d appeared to be with the knowledge that the water level affect visibility on occasion, and been diving together nothing more than a was once much lower and the caves we caught what was described by for three days that large puddle, mindful surely inhabited. Close to the entrance both dive centres as unusually poor he asked if I’d like of not disturbing the and exit, in six metres of water, lie the viz. It is all relative, though, and a to do an afternoon fine silt on the bot- remains of Japanese rice bowls and a measure of how good it usually freshwater cave dive tom, and followed clay bottle made in the late 1800s in the is. The very worst we had was 15 half an hour inland. an orange safety line Netherlands. It begs the question what metres! You bet! Despite down and in to the older relics might lay further in. having well over a cave. After an initially As well as being home to Nusa Island Cave dive. Dorian is a positively 1,000 dives in my log- narrow section, we Retreat, Big Nusa is inhabited by a affable chap with a fun sense of book, I’d never done emerged into a series local community who chat happily with humour, a John Holmes moustache, a penetration dive, of huge caverns visitors taking a walk around the island. damage in a bombing raid on Kavieng, and will, at some point, have you laugh- so was a touch nerv- draped in stalactites During the windy months from October she is in remarkably good condition, with ing till your mask fills, and you can barely ous, as we clambered carefully down and stalagmites full of gin clear water, to March, the multitude of small islands a spinecheek anemonefish manning the keep your regulator in. But he takes his inside the mouth of a cavern. troubled only by the odd halocline. and channels are dotted with appar-

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Lissenung Island. ied topography, amazing tiny crit- The other accom- ters like halemeda and orang-utan modation option crabs, abundant longnose hawkfish, is Lissenung Island, schools of one-metre humphead an even smaller parrotfish, more pygmy seahorses, island 20 minutes’ tiny crinoid-dwelling squat lobsters boat ride towards and horned shrimps, and panda the Bismarck anemonefish. We dived some of Sea. Owned them several times and would hap- by Austrian ex- pily return to them repeatedly. engineer Dietmar Although, if a choice had to be Amon and his wife, made, Albatross and its wall over- Ange, its seven grown with big fan corals, black cor- rooms are ideally als and sponges just pips the others. located for diving Several times a year, Lissenung’s the Bismarck sites twin-engined 26-foot Ozycat heads ently excellent surf breaks, and like Peter’s Patch, with its batfish and northwards to New Hanover on accommodation is often taken up pelagics; Helmut’s Reef; Danny’s expeditions to explore virgin reefs by surfers. The resort’s owner, Sean, Bommy, with its leaf fish and white- and a Japanese two-man subma- is a keen wave rider himself as well bonnet anemonefish; the long wall rine, as well as Chapman’s Reef, CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Beach at Lissenung as the provider of a good yarn and at Kavin II; Matrix, with its whip and with its resident giant groupers. Island Resort; Tiny orangutan crab; Clingfish and even better tucker. He also likes soft branching coral; and, of course, Divers on the expeditions stay in horned shrimp on fether star; Diver and barrel a party, and night owls will feel at Albatross. guesthouses on different islands sponge; Pijama cardinalfish home. They are all excellent sites with var- depending on the itinerary.

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Contrary to Nusa, Lissenung Island fect white sand beach with several heavily involved in. In the evening location is home to metres of water, making it CLOCKWISE FROM FAR is only occupied by the seven-room seahorses basking in the shallows, the office doubles up as a clinic, as more mandarinfish ideal for snorkelling, LEFT: Pink anemonefish resort, has a “no guests under 12” and each room facing the sea. locals come in to have a variety of mating after sunset. too. It doesn’t on large anemone; Pair policy and can be walked around The staff live on the neighbour- minor injuries dealt with. Afternoon dives on the take too of mandarinfish; Whip in ten minutes. Basically, guests ing island of Enuk, and tours can be The usual diving routine sees the house reef that goes two- much luck corals in reef garden at Lissenung; Sweetlips; share Dietmar and Ange’s private arranged to the village and school, dive boat leave after breakfast thirds of the way around to get a Local fishermen fishing island paradise, with sandy and the development of which the and return for lunch. Afternoon and the island are free, and glimpse the reef at Lissenung; well-kept gardens, a small but per- philanthropic owners have been dusk dives leave daily, and a secret much of the best stuff is in three of juvenile Nudibranch chromodoris

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LEFT TO RIGHT: Octopus; Nudibranch; Squat lobster; Banded boxer shrimp

ride from organised a house reef dive for us as soon judiciously placed rope running the length Alotau as we had dropped off our bags. The of the hull and down to the mooring point Airport. A house reef is large enough to occupy curi- made hand-over-hand progress easy. wooden ous divers for several days. As with Tufi’s The aptly named site is a good place for walkway leads house reef, a plethora of the ocean’s Merlet’s scorpionfish, as it likes to hide up from the jetty to most intriguing creatures can be found amongst the crinoids, and Alfred soon the smart reception area, very close to the jetty. Warty frogfish, a spotted a green one. restaurant and guestrooms. rather bold octopus and another manda- Dinner at Tawali had a slightly more Milne Bay Province got its reputation rinfish-inhabited coral head were all within formal feel to it than the other resorts, as a premier dive site through liveaboards 15 metres of the ladder. partly because it is the only one where blacktip started by Bob Halstead, one of the pio- couples have their own table, and partly reef sharks neers of PNG diving, with the MV Telita. In Crinoid City. Diving is conducted from a because the topside staff, on the con- around the far side of 2004, Rob Van Der Loos, owner of the MV converted tuna fishing boat, and seemed trary to their dive crew counterparts, were the island. Chertan liveaboard, and Bob Hollis, owner like considerable overkill when we walked more reserved than at the other resorts. of the Oceanic, started building a resort down the next morning with two other They paid less attention to details, with the Milne Bay to cater for divers who prefer a more luxu- divers. It could have comfortably taken drawing pin in my soup that I almost swal- Purpose-built Tawali Resort is hidden in the rious between-dive setting. five times our number. Still, it soon proved lowed being the most memorable. tropical forests on top of the limestone on Arriving late in the afternoon and only its worth in the chop, as we ploughed the eastern cape of Papua New Guinea. having three days left for diving, genial along for an hour to Crinoid City. The Deacon’s Reef. The next day, the sea was It is a two-hour drive and ten-minute boat dive centre manager and instructor Alfred surface current was pretty strong, but a totally flat, like an oil bath, though the cur- Tiny warty frogfish; Crockadilefish (left)

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Flagella nudibranch at Lauadi

unique topography and anemonefish allowed more sheltered nature, themselves to be digitally the stand-out site that we captured. It was the last visited. Located next to dive of the trip, ending our the shore of the mainland, adventure with another it starts as a sheer wall great dive. dive that ends in a series The other three divers of shallow stone gullies and two guides had and passages and gives a gone, and even Charlie feeling of flying through a was starting to look a little mini underwater mountain bored. I had been down range or a moonscape 65 minutes already. It was dotted with clumps of long time to go back to the whip coral strands. boat. rent still made for fast drift dives Unfortunately, close to the shore Where to stay and dive and challenging photo composi- Lauadi. Just round the corner at a depth of five metres, we Tufi, Oro Province: tion. It was clear to see where the lies Lauadi, Tawali’s best muck- went past a three metre by three www.tufi-dive.com Multi-resort itiner- area got its reputation with more diving site. Devoid of any coral, metre patch of rubble and coral. I New Ireland Province: aries and visits to fish-and-coral-covered reefs. the anthracite grey volcanic sand tried not to look at it. I failed, and Nusa Island Retreat the annual Goroka Local guides Jacob and Charlie slopes down into the depths on a zebra dwarf lionfish caught my www.nusaislandretreat.com.pg cultural festival also had a keen eye for pygmies, a 30-degree angle. Lurking in eye and so did an eel, as a pea- Kavieng Scuba Ventures (see next page) CLOCKWISE FROM FAR and pointed out three different the sand, hiding behind tiny bits cock mantis shrimp scurried under www.scubakavieng.com can be organised by Indigo LEFT: Lizardfish at Tawali; sub-species that morning, before of rubble, and sitting on wood two more lionfish. I shrugged apol- Lissenung Island Dive Resort Safaris [email protected]. Crockadilefish at survey loca- spotting a bamboo shark snoozing debris, a Pacific seahorse, a 1cm- ogetically, and Charlie emptied www.lissenung.com The author will gladly answer any tion; Checking measurement under a small coral head. wide squat lobster, an emperor his BC and lay down on the sand. Tawali, Milne Bay: questions sent to cb@christopher- estimation skills; Pigmy seahorse on coral; Colorful shrimp; Whilst these reefs were all good, shrimp, a pasta-like flabellina Papua New Guinea had turned www.tawali.com bartlett.com ■ Peacock mantis shrimp Deacon’s Reef was, due to its nudibranch and several more out to be highly addictive.

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of administrators and mis- grounds and dances about spirits and ances- sionaries trying stop virulent and sings there from tors in song, shaven head- inter-tribal conflicts. It was 10 am to 4 pm each ed children with their hair of their cultural diversity. implemented by Australian Patrol Officers day. made into beards playing Only a couple of hundred (PNG was under Australian administra- There were a con- the roles of pygmy ghosts. foreigners attended this tion until peaceful independence was siderable number Hornbill beaks and wild spectacular and unique arranged in 1975). Instead of fighting of women’s groups, pig tusks were proudly event. Last year, I was one over ancient feuds and cultural differ- wearing more birds worn, and grasses and of them. It was my first time, ences, the idea was to get together and in their headdresses leaves used as dress and but will surely not celebrate diversity, take part in competi- than you’d find in a decoration in a myriad of be my last. Amidst tions and intermix peacefully. Philipino smuggler’s ways. Every tribe was stun- a riot of colour, As unlikely as it sounds, the suitcase, their glim- ning, with one exception. singing, idea worked, and 53 years on is mering breasts sport- The famed Asaro mud- dancing still going strong. There are no ing as many kina men, with their white clay- and feathers, longer any competitions (I can shells as they possess covered bodies and giant I wandered imagine the archery and spear in order to display clay masks used to make through the field throwing competitions were their wealth. Fierce- victims believe they were of performers, hotly contested and probably looking Silimbuli being attacked by spirits, taking pictures not the best way to pro- warriors with blackened faces in huge mainly sat in the shade and tried to sell and trying to mote peace), not even for hair-woven berets jumped up and down masks and clay models despite the cajol- chat with the dancing or singing. Quite in unison to the rhythm of their kundu ing of the organisers. They seemed to do different tribes. rightly, the organisers feel drums, dissuading any challenge. Brightly little trade, the 200-odd foreign visitors Although that one cannot say that coloured Mount Hagen warriors formed were mainly engrossed in the rest of the the dancers one cultural dance is bet- a formidable spear line, but chanted action. were keen ter than another without and whistled cheerily whilst grass-skirted You can stay in the madly expensive ANNUAL GOROKA CULTURAL FESTIVAL to pose for the camera giving the feeling that Engan ladies danced and sang as their Bird of Paradise Hotel in town, or use the and readily struck a pose, the culture itself men beat out a tune on bamboo (and basic but clean and safe accommo- Over the three-day weekend closest to it is far from a show designed is being judged. hardware store PVC) pipes with flip-flops. dation provided by the National Sports the September 16th Independence Day, for tourists—quite the opposite, Nowadays, each One tribe had giant bird and butterfly Institute right next to the show grounds nearly 100 tribes gather at Goroka in in fact. The first Goroka Show group has a sec- frameworks on their backs in a sort of Rio and save about 150 euros each per night the Eastern Highlands for a celebration was held in 1957, the brain-child tion of the show- Carnival style, others acted out stories and eat for about 5 euros per day. ■

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