Mijts Blog

Open Bay is a very remote location – accessible only by boat or, on rare occasions, helicopter. It is quite rugged and there are no sealed roads at all. The managers live in houses that are thirty plus years old and all of a very interesting design. The General manager has a ‘guest house’ where we stayed – of the same design.

The houses are built on a hill – and have a pop-up roof with a screened opening right around to catch the breeze. There is no electricity supply at Open Bay and they power via a generator which is turned off at 10pm and back on around 4am when the men get up to go to work. They work long hours six or seven days a week in sometimes very murky conditions. It rains EVERY day – in fact in January and again in February they had well over a METRE of rain each month!

It is very lush and green and there were many flowers around the house including these hibiscus.

Inside the house (as with our Kokopo house) were beautiful wooden floors. We noticed in the house and also at the office and in ‘The Mess’ there were also several pieces of beautiful old furniture.

This old shoe shine chair (the ledge at the bottom pulled out) was in our house.

The alligator boots were lined up at the door of the guest house – evidence of how wet and muddy the place gets! Especially needed for visiting buyers who go amongst the logs etc to check on timber.

The views from the balcony were great – especially at sunset

We were fed in the Japanese managers’ Mess and the food was fantastic – ate far too much!

More about this trip soon!

We have had internet connection problems for the last week but all seems to be well now so I am going to share some photos from our trip to Open Bay just over a week ago. In fact, I am going to do it in several posts just in case internet drops out!

The boat trip down was just perfect – a clear sunny day with VERY calm seas. Only took us three hours. The Open bay manager’s cook was on the boat with us and it was so calm she slept most of the way!!!

I had to buy a hat for the trip – and this was the only wide brim hat available – at least it gave me better protection than a cap and I didn’t get sunburnt. The hat was much too big for me and kept slipping down over my eyes!!! Nick had the one that he bought in the Vietnam markets!

When we arrived at Open Bay there was a small welcoming committee for us!!

The boat trip home was a bit different! Started out nice and calm and when we spotted a whole lot of birds and fish jumping from the water in a feeding frenzy, the boat boy even threw in a line as we circled around the action a few times. Alas! no fish were caught – perhaps the strips of white plastic bag didn’t make such a good lure afterall!

However, about an hour into the trip we hit rain – and bigger seas – no photos – too wet and windy! Because it was rougher we even had to make a stop to refuel and the trip took over four hours.
Will share more about our activities while we were at Open Bay in separate posts

Tomorrow I am going with Nick down to Open Bay where the company logs the timber. It is a 4 hour banana boat ride which I am not really looking forward to as it will be so hot. We will stay in the workers’ camp, eat in the mess etc so it will be a bit of a first for me. No power supply there and the generator is turned off at night so no power at all after 10pm – that means no fans or aircon!!

I am going to visit the school while Nick works and have some books and other supplies to give them. We also have some things to give the medical clinic which is on site.

Nick has been before but went down by helicopter and back by boat.

After the boat ride we had last December to get out for a holiday(airport was closed due to volcano ash!) I am a bit anxious about the trip down and back. Hopefully all will go well and we won’t hit a storm and rough weather this time and it will all be yet another adventure – who said retirement would be boring!!!!

Will let you know all about this trip when we get back on the weekend.

After a couple of months of no volcano action and very few earthquakes, we have had several gurias (earthquakes) in the last week or so.We were quite surprised on Sunday night when the house started to shake just as we were about to have dinner. Seemed quite strong but only lasted about 20 seconds – long enough to make a photo frame topple off some shelving and smash on the floor!- was a ceramic frame so both glass and frame smashed! The USGS site only registered it at 5.5 – although it felt quite strong! Had another 5.4 one yesterday which lasted longer but seemed a lot gentler.

Around this time last year we had one just over 7.0 and the house shook vigorously from side to side making a LOT of loud creaking noises. I ran downstairs and out onto the road calling to Stephanie to get out – I was quite frightened. The locals just sat under the houses and laughed at me. They told me I don’t need to worry until the house starts jumping up and down! Shaking side to side is apparently OK!

The volcano remains quiet with only steam coming out. It has been like this since the New Year and it is incredible what a difference it makes not living with ash all the time! Some of the locals say that it was like this before it erupted in 2006 so they are expecting a big blow to be on the way.

On Good Friday I went for two dives out near Little Pigeon Island. It was a really clear day where we could see to about 50 metres and the water temperature 29degrees – PERFECT.
Really enjoyed these dives including a VERY close encounter with a shark of about 3 metres. Actually was a bit scared at the time but he came in fast for a quick look then turned around and left just as quickly! gave me quite a fright but, in retrospect, was an awesome experience!

In between the dives I did quite a bit of snorkelling and took some photos, including this one of what I think might be a Crown of Thorns Starfish!

We had a quiet Easter. Nick went diving on the Friday. We had planned to go with some friends for a Barbie on Sunday but it rained heavily Saturday and was overcast on Sunday so we went on Easter Monday. We had access to a private little beach (via land owned by friend’s work) and settled in for a very relaxing few hours.

We took all OUR food with us but a local arrived for a bit of spear fishing!

Nick and John spent an hour or so snorkelling but the strength of the drift was a bit too much for the rest of us so we paddled and relaxed under the trees!

Nick put HIS chair in the water as it was much cooler!

Nick took some photos whilst he was snorkelling

He also took this classic photo of Anne and I in what, unfortunately!, is a common stance for us. (I am sure our discussion was an important one – ‘will we or won’t we snorkel today?).

After sufficient food, beer and a couple of bottles of wine (for the two ladies), we all felt relaxed and headed back home to Kokopo!

Each Saturday we go to the market. I keep all our small change in a market purse and we buy lots of fresh produce for just a few kina ( a kina is around 40cents AUD). Pineapple, bananas, kau kau (like a sweet potato), tomatoes, mango and whatever else that we like and is available – you never know what you might find! We definitely don’t buy tobacco nor buai (betel nut) and it’s accompanying bag of lime – but we do enjoy lots of other local fare!

The markets are on a dirt patch with some make-shift shade and lots of umbrellas. The ground is washed away in places and you have to watch your step – but they are colourful with lots of character.

The women bring their produce from the village (usually in the back of a truck) each morning and sit all day to earn just a few kina – every day except Sunday.

There are always plenty of peanuts

The tobacco is neatly displayed (and lighters too!)

The bilums are colourful – I have a few- but I don’t carry mine around my forehead!
Note baby sleeping in the black laplap tied to the pole!

Sometimes there is even a bit of jewellery available.

These baskets are specific to the local Tolai people and are commonly seen being carried by men (often with their food inside!)

It is always fun at the market – and I enjoy this weekly visit!

Our market experience is about to change as this week a new purpose built market site will open – across the road from the current markets.

This is Kayline, the 20 month old daughter of our House Mary, Stephanie. Stephanie does all the house work, washing, ironing etc and little Kayline loves to help. I arrived home the other day and Stephanie was upstairs working and Kayline was cleaning the concrete under the house. She is only a tiny tot but wasn’t doing a bad job of wielding that broom – and in her big brother’s flip-flops!

When I arrived at the school on Monday (about 10 to 8 for an 8am start), the Library was still locked. As I approached I had 4 beaming faces to greet me – all sitting nicely on the steps. I just had to drop my bags and take a photo before I went to find a key.

I have 6 little ones three times a week and they are always so pleased to see me and they are so keen to learn! The older girls whom I also teach are just as keen – makes my volunteer work at the school such a pleasure. This is how I survive living with no shops other than trade stores, only second hand clothes to buy, no hairdresser etc etc!!!

Golf is my ‘new’ sport obsession.

After playing hockey for almost 45 years I had to give it up just over a year ago due to knee problems. When I learned that we would be living close to a golf course in PNG, I bought a set of clubs, had a few lessons in Brisbane (only time for 4 lessons – not enough!) and ‘took up golf’! Whilst I am not very good at it, I really enjoy the game and have improved. A par is rare and the two birdies that I have managed brought great joy – but difficult to repeat! I also enjoy playing with friends when I am back in Brisbane (had to buy another set of clubs for that!)

We have two golf courses here – one right by our house (our house is half the yellow house, second from the corner and behind the big mango tree – taken from the 7th fairway!) I usually play there with another lady on Wednesdays. The other course is about a one hour drive away and we often go there on a Sunday. Nick has a hit then too – although he would much rather go diving.

I played with Anne this morning and it was so humid that I was just soaked with perspiration the whole time – when first here, I struggled with the heat and humidity but cope better these days.

Our caddies are young children who live in shacks by the golf course – they caddy 9 holes for K5 (about$2 AUD) and a soft drink.

We also have a flag boy (who is more often a girl!) who runs ahead at each hole to place a stick ( with a plastic bag on it – or a tree branch with leaves) on the green.

Our caddies puddle through the water and mud to find our balls.

On this day we ‘lost’ our caddies – only to find them all up a tree eating guava.

The locals treat the golf course as a place to relax in the shade, have a bite to eat etc – even on the approach to the green. We just call out and they wave and watch the ball!

This photo shows the view from the course (not taken today – the volcano is very quiet at the moment!).

Hope you have enjoyed my little golf story – requested by Stephen!