PNG - areas compared

[pilot81]

I am in Port Moresby on a business trip and still undedcided on where to go for a break. Would Kavieng or Kimbe be better? Ideas please?

I am on Doxycycline and would take it every time i visit PNG, i am an Asian so no issues with photosensitivity. For all anti-malaria pills, there is a max usage of 3 months thus no national or expat can take it. That is inclusive of the return period, if you take Doxy you would need to continue to take it 4 weeks after leaving the area.

 

[silent running]

Hello pilot81, PNG diving is somewhat seasonal, but there's always some good diving somewhere in the country. How long are you there for? This time of year, it seems up north is best. You might want to try to fit in a short livaboard trip if you can. Most of the boats are owner operated and you may be able to get a very good last minute price. The Golden Dawn is up north, operating out of Madang, I think. There's a really good looking trip out to the Volcanic Islands and Hansa Bay which has a lot of WW2 wrecks teeming with fish which are seldom dived. Dolphin enterprises who operate GD have an office in Moresby. They also operate the Telita which normally does Milne Bay, so check that boat out too. There's also Febrina up in Kimbe, but I'm not sure of their schedule. Land based diving in PNG will limit your options, especially in Kimbe. I think the best diving in that area is out in the Witus, which are only accessable by Liveaboard. If you only have time for land based, I might go with Kavieng over Kimbe as you will get more shark and pelagic action. I met the owners of Scuba Ventures Kavieng last year and they seemed to know the area very well and they have some fast boats that make it all the way over to New Hanover, which has some great sites. There are also dive operators in Madang and they usually are able to get out to the Volcanic islands, which have really great diving. I saw several prehistoricaly large turtles, much bigger than me, at Long Island. And there's some really great macro stuff in the inshore Madang area, as well as great WW2 twin engine bomber wreck right in the harbour. I'm jealous. I must content myself with a trip to the Philippines in Sept.-Andy

 

[Deano2]

Hi SR,

I just a booked a trip myself with the MV Golden Dawn for 2006. My Dive Guru assured me I won't be dissappointed. I'll give the rebreather a try, I also hate those noisy bubble makers. Any chance you're headed to PNG with Mr. Craig in early December?

Just back myself from Komodo, do I know you ??? I remember you...yeah yeah you were the one with silent bubbles.

 

[caymaniac]

I have a presentation today at 4 pm for work, then it's all go for the trip to PNG, it's already hard to focus on anything else :11:
Everyday nearer to take off, I seem to drift to the computer to search for tid bits about the areas we will be visiting....it'ss ssslow ssilent torture....argh!
Then again what would I do without this web site for reinforcement? I just have to maintain my sanity for a few hours....Star Dancer-Walindi-Lolata, Oahu :dazzler1:

Dive Safe,
Caymaniac

Hey, at least you get to GO ! I'm deeply, desperately envious. I know you're gonna be in dive heaven shortly! Have a GREAT time!

Best,[/QUOTE]

That was dive heaven!

 

[silent running]

Hello Deano2, I wish I was going with you all, but I will have to wait until July for my next Capt. Craig adventure. Are you going to Eastern Fields? I bet you are. It's great diving, you will love it. I went about 4 years ago. Craig got me fully into rebreathers and I have never looked back. I'm sure you will enjoy diving CCR. But make sure you do your homework and try out a few different types of CCR before you buy one. Komodo was very good, but if you can afford the airfare, I don't think PNG can be beat. Have a great time and make sure you eat at Asian Aromas in Moresby. It's the best restaurant in that part of the world. If you have any rebreather questions, you can PM me.-Andy

 

[caymaniac]

I have a short dive report at http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?

 

[Wayan]

Hi
I am contemplating a PNG liveaboard in 2006. Areas that I am considering include Kimbe Bay, Kavieng and Milne Bay. Open to other suggestions as well but definitely prefer liveaboard.

I have searched the site for PNG reports but what I am after is comparative impressions from folk who have dived in more than one area. I have pretty general interests. I really love rays, enjoy big stuff and reefs, am not madly into wrecks and will give muck a go but not for the whole trip.

Any and all comments welcome.

Alison

Spent many a year travelling in PNG, the best liveaboards there in my opinion are the Satrdancer, Febrina and Golden Dawn.

Best dives I have done and would always do again would be Krak-A-Fat and Killibobs Knob. The first have an amazing schoold of jacks over the top that swarm around you so much so that they block the light. Also a great wall with a mass of black coral trees and on the tips schooling barracudda and sometimes grey reefs coming in.
The secon Kilibobs is a great shark dive with lots opf greys and whitetips, and when I was a solitary great barracudda that would alsways be there to greet you at the start and and end of the dive just under the boat.

Milne Bay with Golden Dawn excellent Muck Diving at Dinah's Beach and reef dives of memeorable note was Balck and Silver Reef.

Not sure if the still do it or not but the Febrina used to Kavieng around August and the diving up there is great as well. Reefs not as great as out of Kimbe bay / Witus Islands. Kavieng as I remember it was more for Pelagic's.

 

[Allison Finch]

Wayan, you need to go back and do the Duke of York Islands. I just got back from a month with Alan doing exploratory diving there. It was awesome! We set a number of moorings and I'm looking forward to getting back there. Alan wanted us to come back in Feb for some south shore exploratory/mooring work. Unfortunately, It will be too soon to save that much time and money. If you can get there then, you should try to go on that trip.
George is still at Belinda's/Killibob's Knob. He's bigger than ever.

 

[alijtaylor]

I have a short dive report at http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/tripreports.php?

Caymaniac
Thanks for the cross reference to the report. ANd thanks for your comments Wayan, I have had a lot of really good input, now all I have to do is make a decision!
Alison

 

[Wayan]

Wayan, you need to go back and do the Duke of York Islands. I just got back from a month with Alan doing exploratory diving there. It was awesome! We set a number of moorings and I'm looking forward to getting back there. Alan wanted us to come back in Feb for some south shore exploratory/mooring work. Unfortunately, It will be too soon to save that much time and money. If you can get there then, you should try to go on that trip.
George is still at Belinda's/Killibob's Knob. He's bigger than ever.

Great to hear that George is still there, as for Duke of Yorkes, have done a few dives there already, Cold Reef, Valley fo the Fans and the water was just toooo cold for me, call me a wimp but I like the water temp in the mid to high 80's now and spend time in the shallows watching the world go by.