PNG - Milne or Fathers?

[bwilcove]

We are planning a live-aboard trip to PNG. Wondering which is the best area to dive (Milne or northern areas) and when is the best time of year to go?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[alijtaylor]

We are planning a live-aboard trip to PNG. Wondering which is the best area to dive (Milne or northern areas) and when is the best time of year to go?

Thanks,
Brian

Hi Brian
I posted a similar question a few years ago and got a lot of useful advice, suggest you look at this thread. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-islands/98077-png-areas-compared.html

For the record I dived on Febrina in the Fathers area and had a great time.

My report is here http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-islands/162649-png-trip-report.html.

Pictures are here: ScubaBoard Gallery - PNG - Powered by PhotoPost

All the best

Alison

 

[bwilcove]

Hi Brian
I posted a similar question a few years ago and got a lot of useful advice, suggest you look at this thread. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-islands/98077-png-areas-compared.html

For the record I dived on Febrina in the Fathers area and had a great time.

My report is here http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-islands/162649-png-trip-report.html.

Pictures are here: ScubaBoard Gallery - PNG - Powered by PhotoPost

All the best

Alison

Thanks Alison. The previous thread was interesting, but not completely conclusive. Ah ... choices, choices. Right now, I'm leaning towards a trip on the Telita in Milne Bay. BTW, love the pics and great trip report.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[silent running]

Thanks Alison. The previous thread was interesting, but not completely conclusive. Ah ... choices, choices. Right now, I'm leaning towards a trip on the Telita in Milne Bay. BTW, love the pics and great trip report.

Thanks,
Brian

Hello Brian, Telita or Golden Dawn and a Milne Bay itinerary are good choices for a first PNG visit, should give you a bit of everything big and small.

Up North is great too, but not the concentrations of smaller stuff and a little less variety in the types of diving. Also there tends to a lot of current in some of the better diving areas. But the North does also have more WW2 wrecks... -Andy

 

[Allison Finch]

I spend a lot of time in PNG. I usually go to Kimbe, the Witu Islands, Fathers, Gazelle Peninsula, Rabaul, Duke of York Islands, and New Ireland(Kavieng). Next year I will be with Alan Raabe spending a month exploratory diving the South Shore of New Britain Island.

The Witus have excellent muck diving and a magical dive inside a valcano caldera.

Kimbe area has some big pelagic/shark action

Fathers and Gazelle has reefs with so many different hard corals in one spot you can't believe it!

Rabaul has great muck and some neat WWII stuff

Duke of York still has many areas to explore and great stuff there.

To sum it up, you can't lose wherever you go.

I highly recommend The FeBrina and Stardancer. I've spent lotsa time with Alan Raabe and he is a real PNG pioneer (and character). He has forgotten more about PNG diving than most people will ever know!!

 

[lusea]

Hello there, excuse me butting in but just wanted to let you know about two trips we have going in May on MV Chertan, a liveaboard that runs out of Tawali Resort in Milne Bay. Go to David Hannan Productions - High Definition Marine Cinematography and Program Production if you are interested! (We are filmmakers who have chartered the boat and still have some spots due to a cancellation) Cheers, Lucy

 

[NCBabs]

You really can't go wrong either way but I liked the Kimbe Bay and Fathers. I was on the Febrina as well and the Fathers area you had everything from big schools of baracuda, jacks lots of sharks to the little critters and the coral is so healthy.

you will have a great time. If I can help PM me or email