Moresby , Papua
pp. 66-67 · Read in the full issue
Kay Bason Re
ports from Port Moresby , Papua New Guinea:
• WILLING MIND. Is a 40-year old 10 m wooden sloop which was built in Falmouth, England. Free man Paugh, who’s been cruising for the past 11 years, finds Willing Mind a comfortable home afloat. He’s sailed from Micronesia where, he said, there were no problems with pirates, but found food was very expensive. The market in Rabaul, in Freeman’s opinion, was a great place, very much like the markets in South America. He was surprised at how quiet Rabaul was with the volcano scare. Freeman was en chanted with Samarai Island, he loved the atmosphere and lack of cars. He’s thoroughly enjoyed cruising in PNG. From Port Mores by Willing Mind will set sail for Darwin, Indonesia and the Orient. • SEA LARK. She’s a fast mod ified Crowther 10 m design cat with a 6 m beam which Edward and Caroline Clarke fitted out in Caboolture, Brisbane. Caroline is at present overseas working to sup port the venture. Edward is a “cat man” from way back, and still has a stiletto cat in Australia. Sea Lark surfed into Cairns on her sea trials, doing 20 knots with the main reefed exhilarating sailing. Passage from Cairns to Port Moresby was completed in just three days. Ed ward had intended to stay in Port Moresby but stories of break-ins and theft changed his plans. He will
The wind was light but it didn’t deter the members of the Royal Papua Yacht Club welcoming the start in April of the 1984 sailing season with their Opening Day Regatta. Poisson won the prize for the best dressed yacht. The crew gave spectators a delightful display of colored balloons spilling from their spinnaker as it was raised.
Champion won the prize for best dressed power boat. Max Kean and his crew looked splendid in their official “whites” on board Sara bande. A few “paybacks” with buckets of water between various yachts kept the crews cool and everybody certainly entered into he spirit of events. A light south easterly breeze arrived prior to the race, and Peter Sharpe on Mekim Save was the first cruiser home beating a few Hobie cats. Following close behind was Scorpio, Tom Fawcett, and Big Moale, Chris Wiley. Prize for the best-dressed Hobie was Qantas, Nick Jones.
With the start of the south-east trade winds a few yachts have called into Port Moresby. Here are some of the visitors:
Willing Mind rides at anchor in Port Moresby. - Kay Bason picture.
now return to Cairns to finish fitting out the interior of Sea Lark, which certainly is a roomy boat. • SENANG. Jim Clark and Bar bara Siddle have been cruising in their beautiful 13 m Swanson for the past seven years, on and off.
They had sailed the “milk run” up and down the Queensland coast and decided to venture further offshore. After 12 days in the Sydney-Noumea yacht race, Jim and Barbara sailed to a few “off the track” places and highly recom mend a visit to the Isle of Pines on the south-east of New Coledonia.
They also said that the south side of San Cristobal Island in the Solo mons is fabulous. Not many yachts cruise this side and the villagers are delighted to have visitors. Jim found good secure anchorages without any problems. Senang was one of six yachts in Rabaul sear ched by PNG Customs because they were given incorrect clearance papers in Kieta. All these people were unaware of the regulations regarding clearing in and out of PNG ports. They said it was a rather embarrassing and uncomfortable situation which happily did not result in fines. Jim and Barbara intend to sail to Thursday Island and then coast-hop back to their home port, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales. • ALEGRIAS. Mike Robinson and crew were sailing back to Darwin after a successful charter in PNG when the boat hit a large submerged log. This incurred dam age to the rudder, prop and shaft on this famous 19 m schooner.
Mike stoppped at Bramble Cay to check and assess the damage in a safe south-eastern anchorage. Dur ing the night the wind changed direction and a mean north-east squall hit. The seas became heavier and Alegrias dragged anchor and slew sideway onto the reef where she took a hell of a beating. Mike said his opinion of ferro has been heightened: “It’s a fantastic material to have withstood such heavy smashing and battering,” he said.
Alegrias was totally immobilised but the crew managed to kedge her around head into the swell. Even tually they moved boulders and made a bed for the yacht in the reef. They were surprised how easy it was to break up the big coral heads. Mike put out a PAN call on the radio and mackerel fishing boat Tenggari came to the rescue. In calmer conditions Alegrias was hauled straight off and towed to Dam. The Niugini Trader was em ployed to tow Alegrias to Port Moresby where she was slipped.
Mike is certainly glad he has insur ance, even though it entails a lot of paperwork. Once repairs are com pleted Alegrias will again set sail for Darwin, her home port.
Right: Freeman Faugh of Will ing Mind. Middle: Visiting cruis ing yachts at Port Moresby in April. Bottom: Barbara and Jim Clark of Senang. - Kay Bason pictures.