Tag: new Ireland

ARRIVED GIZO – EXHAUSTED

Rain Squalls, our companions, day and night. Photo Ray Penson

As I was daydreaming, I suddenly noticed the depth sounder was reading 5 meters!  Immediately I put the engine into neutral and we slowed, as we slowed the depth reduced, I gave a kick astern and we stopped.  The depth now read zero, that means nothing under the keel!  I checked everything, a flashlight over the side, we should be in deep water.  Then I realised my mistake.  I was so tired and my brain so befuddled, I had been reading the wind instrument instead of the depth sounder.  As we reduced speed so the relative wind reduced to zero as we stopped.  Clearly, I had not been thinking straight.  I was very tired.

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PNG – COASTING NEW IRELAND

Local children took my water bottles ashore and filled them from the stream, They were rewarded and everyone was happy. Photo Ray Penson

Unfortunately, shortly after I had anchored in the Albatross Channel my fishing rod and fishing gear were stolen from the back deck.  I always remove any tempting items from the cockpit when at anchor.  I had already removed the binoculars, navigation tablet and other bits and bobs safely below.  I then put the kettle on for a cuppa and was filling in the logbook when I heard sounds outside.  I jumped up into the cockpit and saw a canoe with two guys in it paddling away downstream, then I noticed my fishing rod was missing.  I shouted after the guys but they had suddenly developed selective hearing, their paddling picked up a pace.  My fault entirely, they probably only came along to say hello (as everyone does here) but the sight of a fishing rod unattended was just too much temptation.  Oh well, one less thing to worry about and fishing with a rod from Truce has always been a dangerous game, I hope they have better luck with it than I had.

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BEATEN BACK BY THE CURRENT AND FICKLE WINDS

Struggling to depart Kavieng, butting wind and current.

Departing Kavieng was hard work, a light onshore wind threatened to put us onto a lee shore, thankfully the wind freshened a bit, allowing us to head away and clear the land. Then the wind died and the current pushed us westwards, losing ground and making interesting track patterns on the navigation plotter. There followed a series of squalls making for uncomfortable sailing, on a positive note I was able to fill the water tanks with nice fresh rainwater. This carried on for two days, yo-yoing back and forth with the squalls but slowly making progress eastwards.

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DENTAL REPAIRS IN PNG

Market boat landing in Kavieng, doing a diesel fuel resupply run. Photo Ray Penson

Upon entering the clinic I was met by a gentleman behind a desk, the receptionist I assumed.  I explained my problem to him, he came around the desk and had a look in my mouth.  Oh yes, he said, I can fix that, he led me to another room, sat me in the dental chair and said he would be back in a couple of minutes.  Now I had to assume that the receptionist was in fact the dentist even if he didn’t have a white coat on. 

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