1456: Melanesia Discoverer 8 October 2014
8 October – 21 October 2014
For a species list for this expedition, please click here.
Day 1 –Wednesday 08 October 2014
Madang - north east coast Papua New Guinea
We arrived into the tropical embrace of Madang, situated on the north coast of Papua New Guinea and were transferred to the Madang Resort for the first night of our ‘Melanesia Discoverer’ expedition. Excitement ran high during the evening as we met our fellow travellers along with the expedition team, lead by Nathan Russ, all eager to uncover the hidden gems of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. During dinner we were treated to a welcome sing sing (traditional dance) along with a chance to view a full eclipse of the moon before heading off for some much needed sleep.
Day 2 –, Thursday 09 October 2014
Madang north east coast Papua New Guinea
5’12 S – 145’48 E
The first day started early for fourteen intrepid birding enthusiasts who departed for the Madang south coast road in the great company of ornithologist Adam Walleyn and naturalist Aaron Russ. Breakfast was served on the road to maximise sleep and take advantage of early birding time. The first stop was Bowrie Village, followed by Alexis Haffen and the Mission Ponds of Madang. Reports back from the group on their return told great tales of sightings which included Grand Mannikins, White-bellied Thicket Fantails, Pacific Baza’s, Red-necked Phalaropes, several fruit dove species and the call of a Wompoo Fruit Dove. The remainder of the group departed Madang Resort at the more leisurely hour of 0800 and headed to the Madang Museum. After the entry key was eventually found, the well-preserved collection was opened for us. Suzanne, the contemporary Anthropologist accompanying our group on the voyage, gave an overview of the regions history from ancient through to early colonization, World War II and an interpretation of many natural history pieces including a replica of the trading vessels, masks, drums, carvings and traditional head dresses. Providing an expert and enthusiastic commentary, she demonstrated how slit drums are used as a specific form of communication. We continued our exploration into the highlands and a visit to the village of Hiya, stopping to learn about the nation’s obsession with chewing Betelnut. Chewing Betelnut or buai as it is called locally, is as common as smoking in any other country, only instead of inhaling, it is chewed. What is left after chewing is spat out, arriving where it lands as a congealed red mass of fibre and fluid. Three items are required to be chewed to create the desired euphoric effect along with the classic red smile all the locals seem to display. You combine the inside seed of the Betelnut, the pepper vine stick (Daka) and lime (not the sort for our gin and tonic but in the form of baked shell) and chew to your hearts content. Surprisingly enough, no takers were found in the group to demonstrate the process. Prof Moshe Agami, the Botanist-Ecologist, took the opportunity during a refreshing rain shower to introduce us to the unique rainforest that surrounded the village. We visited local houses, the school, and enjoyed some tropical fresh fruit. The villagers put on an enthusiastic ‘sing sing’ before we departed in a dance procession to the beat of kundu drums (hour glass shaped drums used for local ‘sing sings’) to our bus and the Madang Resort for an enjoyable barbeque lunch. After some energetic artefact buying, we transferred to the Spirit of Enderby, which was anchored close by in the harbour. On board we familiarised ourselves with the ship and attended the required safety briefings before joining Captain Dimitri on the bridge as we departed the port of Madang. We were farewelled by a White-bellied Sea Eagle, which some said was a good omen for the expedition ahead of us. A few observers also saw Short-finned Pilot whales and Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphins and some distant schools of tuna. Large flocks of Bridled Terns and a few Brown Noddies were also seen between Madang and Kar Kar Island before we headed inside for a drink at the bar before dinner.
Day 3 –Friday 10 October 2014
Kopar Village Sepik River Papua New Guinea,
3’50 S – 144’34 E
We were woken this morning by the dulcet tones of Cruise Director Meghan Kelly, when she interrupted our slumber to rise early and enjoy breakfast before heading out under clear skies on our Zodiac exploration of the mighty Sepik River (See-pik). Mark (Grantham), the leader of a small group on board, would be our gang plank director on each landing, ensuring we had donned our life jackets and turned our tag prior to departing the ship. The meandering Sepik, over 700 miles, is the longest river in Papua New Guinea. Starting at the West Papuan border, the Sepik twists its way towards the Bismarck Sea, where the river mouth is more than a mile wide. As we entered the river some of us spotted several majestic White-bellied Sea Eagles, along with a variety of parrots and pigeons including Pinon Imperial Pigeon, Orange-fronted Fruit Dove and Black-capped Lories. The birding group also noted numerous Pied Herons with a total of 4 Great-billed Herons, all in all a terrific tally for the day. As we cruised up river we passed fishermen that had caught fish including Fork-tailed Catfish and Giant Trevally on their way to the local village of Kopar. Numerous rafts of floating debris, logs, water hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes) and Salvinia made navigation challenging in the main flow of the Sepik. Small tributaries feeding the Lower Sepik were lined with dense wetland jungle dominated by sago, with occasional mangroves (Sonneratia) and emergent rainforest trees. Soon we were navigating a tight channel, a short cut used for local canoe traffic, to duck and weave past sago palms that lined the swampy banks. Here we learnt that three types of sago palms grow in this area, one a thorny trunk (which some of us experienced first hand as we negotiated the tight corners), one smooth and one other that was wild. The one that is thorny is the best for cultivating to obtain the sago flour that is then made into pancakes and a pudding with steamed fish and greens, the staple diet of the Sepik people. The fibre of the trunk is pounded and washed with the starch collected once it settles in the bottom of the collection canoe.
After lunch we returned by Zodiac to the village of Kopar, built in a thin clearing of muddy soil beside the riverbank. Here we were greeted by a group of school children who sang the national anthem followed by a spectacular tumbuna dance (time before white man) complete with a masala spirit mask that resembled the head of a dragon and the long body of a crocodile held high by local men. The overarching theme of the Sepik River is the crocodile through dance, art and initiation ceremonies. After the official speeches and gift giving, we were privileged to see a short pantomime depicting a local legend about the spirit of a man’s deceased wife haunting him from the grave. Oral history plays an important role in Melanesia as it delivers ancestor stories, myths, legends and folklore. We met a crocodile trader and learnt about the biology of these Salty Crocodiles and how they were important as a cash crop to the villages for both skins and small young. With our Sepik artifact treasures in hand we departed late in the afternoon for the Manus province.
Day 4 – Saturday 11 October 2014
Bipi & Pai-i north coast of Papua New Guinea
2’05 S – 146’24 E
This morning we enjoyed the chance to try out our snorkeling skills in the warm waters surrounding Bipi Island near Manus under the guidance of Marine Biologist Conor Jones. We were delighted to find that this area provided spectacular for snorkeling along the south-western edge of the reef, where our visibility was up to 25-30m. The 3-5m depth contour had a dense covering of Porites and soft corals, mostly Sinularia, Sarcophyton and Lobophytum. Bomboras and pieces of reef more exposed to the reef had large numbers of crinoids (featherstars) displaying a variety of colour. Three species of clownfish (Amphiprion) and associated anemones, as well as whip-corals (Juncella) were found directly below the boat. The reef flat had large numbers of blue Linkia starfish and the local children kept us entertained during resting intervals on the surface.
After lunch our inaugural presentation series kicked off with Suzanne introducing us to the lifestyle, culture and traditions of Melanesia. Later our Zodiac flotilla set sail to Pai-i, an exotic small island within the Bipi group. Even before we arrived we were certain that our time here would be special given the number of local villagers lining the shore already dancing and whooping up a storm. After we were officially greeted with each of our faces being washed with special ferns, we moved into the dance arena. Here some of us were startled to find a number of the dances cloaked with large (and small) coral banded snakes, mythical ancestors of the Pai-i villages. In awe of the enthusiastic, energetic and somewhat provocative pelvic thrusting dancers, we smiled from ear to ear; we laughed; we applauded; we cheered in response, yet that didn’t quite feel adequate considering the gift of the incredible performance that they had given us. Then New Zealand chef Lindsey stepped in, surprising everyone with a fierce sounding Maori ‘haka’ that turned the tables and further energized and enthused the islanders. With them advancing on him it was the villagers turn to laugh and be enchanted, with smiles all around! After circumnavigating the island on foot, making new friends and recording a couple of small island specialties including the Bismarck Black Myzomelas, Island Monarchs and Beach Kingfisher, we enjoyed fresh coconut before returning to the Spirit of Enderby, ready to enjoy our evening recap followed by yet another scrumptious dinner. 
Day 5 – Sunday 12 October 2014
Lorengau & Hawei Manus Island
2’01 S – 147’16 E
On our way to Manus Island we saw a Dugong, which was quite remarkable given the large population base and associated human impacts. After a well-rehearsed daybreak departure from the Spirit of Enderby, the birders were instantly rewarded after a steep ascent with views of the rare Superb Pitta, a remarkable result so early in the day. Also enjoyed were scope views of Nicobar Pigeon and Pied Cuckoo-Dove along with such island endemics as Manus Friarbird and Manus Cuckooshrike.
The remainder of the group split into two groups and departed later. One group headed for the hinterland rainforest trails of Lorengau, the capital of Manus Island, and the other went off to visit the island refugee detention centre. The naturalist walkers began their exploration at Rosen Village, all be it a slippery one, and soon vanished deep into primary forest alive with many species of epiphyte’s and dioscrea vines. Some elected to remain behind in Rosen village and enjoy the hospitality of the Ilia family and their lau lau berries before returning to the bus. The fearless group, who had set off in good faith to visit the Manus Island Refugee Centre to learn more about the complexities behind the controversial policy ratified by the Australian and Papua New Guinea government to clear illegal refuges arriving by boat into the waters north of Australia, was not to complete their mission. Turned back at the final checkpoint due to the tightening of onsite entry permits they continued their exploration of the island in good humour. Serendipity played a hand with an impromptu visit to the local Catholic Church allowing them to hear the amazing voices of the congregation as they gave a repeat performance of their Sunday mass hymns, much to the delight of the group.
Late in the afternoon we took the opportunity to cool off in the translucent waters of Hawei Island within a secluded lagoon, north of Manus Island. We snorkelled over a large coral outcrop and would occasionally encounter dead areas of coral, presumably the result of thermal bleaching, our first for the trip. Numerous Banded Sea Kraits, Regal Angelfish, Moorish Idols and Pipefish were observed. Along the margins of the outcrop were large stands of Acropora and Echinopora. Our lecture series continued as we were introduced to the Origin and Travels of Tropical Food Plants from Moshe, along with Conor who showed the awesome array of fish and coral in the reefs we would explore over the many days to come.
Day 6 – Monday 13 October, 2014
Mussau Island & Little Mussau
1’32 S – 149’40 E
It’s bloody hot out there! There are certain expectations that come with being on an expedition ship and strangely enough, one of those is that it should be colder outside the ship than inside. We consciously know that will never be the case in Melanesia, but nevertheless can’t help but be surprised each time an external door is opened and we get hit with that blast of hot sticky air! Fortunately that blast is frequently accompanied by a beautiful view of an idyllic island gliding by. Today that island was Mussau. Reaching the shores in the early morning to avoid the midday sun, we commenced our nature walk bound for the hinterland and the secrets held within. At the entry level we wandered through gardens filled to capacity with corn, sweet potato, yam and tapioca to name a few and continued on into the secondary forests. Logged until 17 years ago, this area is now in recovery stage due to logging bans. Thankfully the Rysofoloa Mangrove at the shoreline is regenerating, as the wood is important within the tropics due to it being termite resistant, along with a necessary nursery for both fish and crustaceans. The birders enjoyed a walk through secondary forest and were very pleased to be amongst the first people ever to see the Mussau Monarch. Other sightings over the course of the morning were the stunning Yellow-bibbed Fruit Dove, Blue-faced Parrotfinch, Island Monarch and the shy Russet-tailed Thrush. The hot walk was rewarded by an inviting waterhole, which some made the most of. On the way we saw several species of colourful ground orchids, pandanus, mimosa pudica (sensitive weed), with a big surprise of an abundance of melmia cordia. These ant nests live a symbiotic relationship with the host tree, protecting it from attack.
After lunch Little Massau provided a range of options for all levels of snorkeling ability. Within 20m of the beach there was a beautiful multi-coloured community of staghorn and poritid corals punctuated with small solitary colonies of mushroom coral (Fungia, Herpotolitha, and Heliofungia). Most colonies were displaying good strong colours and the reef edge community had numerous plating acroporids that provided habitat for small coral cods and angelfish. Regal Angelfish were extremely abundant as were Moorish Idols and several species of bannerfish. Parrotfish and Surgeonfish (acanthuridae) moved between the reef edge and flat communities. The deeper bomboras had several sub-adult Green Turtles, White and Black-tipped Sharks and numerous Fairy Basslets below 15m. Mature Giant Clams and Burrowing Clams (Tridacna spp.) were a highlight for many of us, as was the fantastic variety of Christmas Tree Worms found burrowing into the Porites. This idyllic setting was celebrated by sun worshippers and beach fossickers – the only thing missing to complete the picture postcard setting was a tropical sunset cocktail complete with an umbrella. Soon the beach dwellers ventured along the foreshore and discovered a number of canoes waiting for completion, a makeshift church (a relic from a recent conference) and were led by locals into the centre of the island to discover bountiful gardens. After dinner that evening Moshe introduced us to ‘Tropical Rainforest from the Amazon to Papua New Guinea’. Suzanne then expanded on our cultural knowledge by transporting us into the world of the Cargo Cult and the complexities of delivering material goods and the prophets, who to this day still practice this ancient cult.
Day 7 – Tuesday 14 October, 2014
Nusa Island & Kavieng New Ireland
2’35 S – 150’46 E
The intrepid birders flew the coup at the early hour of 0330 to drive two hours from the main town of New Ireland, Kavieng to the Lelet Plateau. They spent a satisfying morning looking for birds the forest and saw the spectacular Paradise Drongo with its long tail streamers. Other excellent sightings included White-backed Woodswallow, Black Imperial Pigeons and Black-tailed Monarch. The remainder of the group enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at 0700 before travelling by Zodiac to Nusa Island Retreat, our rendezvous point for a ‘sing sing’ welcome performed by local school children. Afterwards we enjoyed seeing traditional shell money and carvings for sale under the shade of a large tree behind the retreat. Some took advantage of a short transfer to a nearby island for a walk to a WWII relic positioned on the shoreline while others wandered into town or explored the local food market, which was a-buzz with the arrival of fresh beetle nut. A few of us happened upon a ‘sing sing’ in the centre of town and were soon led away in an official procession. Unbeknown to us until the last minute, this parade was led by the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill.
The afternoon snorkeling excursion on the reef south of Kavieng offered up the best fish life yet, showcasing a spectacular steep wall where blue-lined and big-eyed Trevally patrolled the deeper waters with many Smooth Flutemouth close inside the reef. The reef edge contained numerous fan corals (Gorgoneacea) along the deeper contours while hundreds of feather-stars in a multitude of colours lined the coral outcroppings. Seven species of anemone fish were observed, often with multiple species occupying the same anemone. Planktivores including damselfish, caesionids, fairy basslets, fusiliers and sprat were numerous and filled the mid and upper reaches of the water column with colour. We also sighted several Crown of Thorns starfish, reef octopus in caves and large sea cucumbers along the reef flat, which became more extensive down-current from the main wall. Some of us also saw spawning Sea Cucumbers. Rabbitfish, Surgeonfish and Parrotfish grazed the reef flat which ran from the reef edge to the overhanging coastal hibiscus on the shore. Among the terrestrial vegetation were teraponids, reef gar, and sergeant majors. After dinner guest lecturer Peter informed us about the extensive ring of fire that surrounds Papua New Guinea and the complexities of volcanoes within this region. 
Day 8 – Wednesday 15 October, 2014
Kokopo & Rabaul, New Britain
4’19 S – 152’18 E
Situated precariously surrounded by six beautiful cone-shaped volcanoes, Rabaul is perched on the edge of a dramatic flooded-caldera harbour. In 1994 this was the site of an enormous volcanic eruption which leveled most of the former capital of New Britain, Rabaul Township, leaving in its wake tons of volcanic ash, which to this day is still being excavated. Although the thriving new settlement of Kokopo is supposed to replace Rabaul and provide a much safer locale for development on the Gazelle Peninsula, the pull of the old harbour remains strong, and rebuilding is sneaking back into the ruined town, once the jewel of the southwestern Pacific. Situated on New Britain Island, Rabaul was a thriving capital of German New Guinea in the late 1800s, then later placed under Australian control by a League of Nations mandate following WWI. After the Japanese invasion in WWII, it became an important and impregnable base, laced with over 500kms of tunnels into the hills—a honeycomb of interconnecting passages and bunkers, with over 97,000 Japanese troops and thousands of POWs. Allied bombing raids were incessant towards the end of the war and the town was flattened, with over 40 ships sunk in the harbour.
This morning the birders were able to access some secondary forest along the Wild Dog Mine access road. They spotted an impressive variety of pigeons including Finsch’s and Yellowish Imperial Pigeon and Knob-billed Fruit Dove and also saw Purple-bellied Lory, Blue-eyed Cockatoo and the rare Black Honey Buzzard. The remainder of the group was eager to explore this historical town and investigate relics from the Japanese occupation which inlcuded the barge tunnel and the underground bunker that was the hiding place of one of the Pearl Harbour commanders, Yamamoto. At the Observatory we had the chance to take in the full impact of the caldera along with the volanco of Tavurvur. Some say that the locals treat Tavurvur ‘like a member of the family, talking quietly to it, shouting at it and encouraging it to go to sleep’. Its mood assessed each day. Today we were lucky, it was surprisingly dormant. It is usually angrily active, spurting globs of ash into the sky above Rabaul and filling mouths and eyes with volanic grit. We finished the tour with a visit to the Kopopo War Relic Museum and some frantic souvenir shopping at the Kokopo markets. The reef east of Rabaul provided a relaxing afternoon in the lee of the southeast breezes. Cruise Director Meghan Kelly set up a bar on the beach so we could sip drinks after swimming. Sea urchins were plentiful with at least 4 species observed, and hundreds of smaller urchis had tunneled into the reef flat by building their own ‘bunkers’.
Day 9 –16 October 2014
Nissan Island, Papua New Guinea
4’26 S – 154’10 E
A tropical atoll adrift in the azure waters of the Buka Channel, Nissan Island is bathed in rich tropical currents that abound in marine life. Seldom have outsiders had the opportunity to discover this world. The four chiefs of the village greeted us on foreshore and as is the custom, bathed our heads and shoulders and crowned us with traditional herbal necklaces before we entered Balil #1 Village. Surrounded by the village people we felt like honoured guests as we walked in procession to the dance arena to a fanfare of conch shells. Seated under the shade of enormous beach almond trees, wave after wave of dancers appeared before us, each telling a different story translated by our Master of Ceremonies Luis. From butterfly to eagle, each interpretive dance brought gales of laughter from locals more than the visitors. Some mothers had travelled a fair distance to give their children the opportunity to view the ‘white visitors’, a rarity in this isolated part of Papua New Guinea. After we enjoyed freshly picked coconuts we were adopted by various villagers and invited into their homes and gardens. Some of our group met the oldest man in the village, Joseph, who expanded on his experience as a young boy during WWII. He told us that the island had been a base for American and Allied soldiers and he was very proud to have met President Nixon. A number of the villagers we spoke to were concerned about climate change and we soon learned that an NGO (Non Government Organisation), ‘CARE International’ has been working extensively with the island community to develop alternative food sources along with sustainable fishing and population levels. The birders went for a short walk outside the village and while bird diversity is quite low on this island they did record the two main specialties – Atoll Starling and Louisiades White-eye - two small island specialists that are rarely seen by birders.
After lunch we had the chance to explore the surrounding reef or return to the village. Nissan Island was the first reef of the trip where we saw a reef that had exposure to longer-period wave energy. The reef edge came up from 2,000m to 30m within the space of tens of metres, making a dramatic depth change. From the 5m depth contour upwards, there was extensive ‘spur and groove’ formation. Plating and small digitate Acropora were the dominant coral types, which was moderately abundant at the 6-10m depth contour. We did a drift snorkel with the current and were greeted once again by about 20 local kids who jumped on board with Adam to keep him company while we snorkelled. Occasionally the reef front included small depressions which housed different corals, such as large poritids and gorgonians. Small White-tipped Sharks were observed on the reef front in 30-40m of water, but large fish were scarce. Those who returned to the village had the unique opportunity to join Lisa (Luis’s wife), who gave a cooking demonstration using Sago. Unlike Kopar in the Sepik, here the Sago (‘Sac Sac’) is mixed with coconut, giving it a rich sweet texture and taste. Lisa put on a great presentation for us, grating coconut and mixing it with sago flour, combining the two in a wok over a hot fire. (The fire was burning in the top of a 55 gallon drum in the “kitchen attachment” to their home.) She then added coconut cream and the resulting sticky concoction can then be mixed with whatever they have – seafood, vegetables, bananas, and more. Quite bland, with just a hint of sweetness from the coconut, it resembled a sort of dry gruel. The second recipe got Suzanne’s taste buds revving from the start… Sago flour with the milk of fresh coconut is mixed together to make a dough ball. This is then shaped into small ‘pancakes’ that are carefully wrapped in green leaves. The small flat green bundles are cooked over coals on a grate, being turned often. The result is a lightly browned pastry-like treat, embossed with the patterns of the leaf, and very yummy! It is a bit sticky, seems almost cheesy and resembles undercooked bread. We all took turns tearing little nibbles off the too-hot-to-handle results! Not only a wife and good cook, Lisa is also a midwife, herbalist, masseuse and magistrate. As with any small community, most people take on multiple tasks to maintain order. 
Day 10 – 17 October 2014
Arawa, Autonomous Region of Bougainville,
6’11 S – 155’32 E
We are amongst the very few who have explored the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, which up until the late 1990’s was closed to visitation due to internal conflict which raged over 10 years (from 1984-1994). The conflict was brought on by tensions of self-determination, disputes over indigenous control of land and inequality of profit distribution from the copper mine established on Bougainville in 1963. Early this morning we rejoiced in the chance to explore the immense biodiversity of the island. Climbing up into the forested mountains which reach an elevation of 950m, the birders left us midway for a very pleasant stroll down the road. They encountered some interesting mixed species flocks and recorded the endemic Bougainville Monarch, plus Solomon’s Monarch, Oriole Whistler and Red-capped Myzomela. They also saw Bougainville Crow and heard the recently described Bougainville Bush Warbler just before a majestic Solomon’s Sea Eagle flew overhead. The rest of us continued on towards the Bougainville Copper mine site, now lying derelict deep in the mountains. It is a visible scar on the landscape and within the hearts of the local guides and landowners we meet along the way. They all have tales to tell of the troubled times in paradise and the loss of land and fortune. The forthright Maggie wanted to know when the ‘big bloody hole’ was going to be filled in so that she could grow crops for her burgeoning family. This backdrop was the setting for the recently released movie ‘Mr Pip’. This tells the story of Mr Watts, the last Englishman remaining on the small island of Bougainville during the violent civil war, who took up the duties of teaching children influencing them by reading stories such as ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens. We enjoyed an excellent study tour of the mine site visiting the main pit, helping locals pan for gold, standing atop the massive tailings canal and the crusher plants. In its day the mine was the largest open cut copper mine in the world. Now it is a major scrap site where companies and countries bid for annual contracts to remove large amounts of metal which at least makes a contribution to the cash resources of the island. Bougainville people associate more with Solomon Islands people than Papua New Guinea, giving rise to a referendum being held in the next two years on whether to secede from Papua New Guinea or stay as an Autonomous Region. Watch this space for further developments on this.
Before returning to the ship we could not let the chance to visit a local food market go by. Abuzz with the frenzy of Friday shopping, we wandered the crammed stalls and walkways, filled to the brim with many items including course cut tobacco, dried fish and root vegetables. The top shelf was overflowing with tapioca, donuts and cream buns. We were lucky to find and be able to buy some of the famous ‘buka’ baskets and bags. These baskets with intricately woven two tone grass sheaths originated here in Bougainville, but due to the expansive employment tentacles created by the mine site in its early days of operation, this style of weaving can now be found duplicated throughout most of Melanesia. We have noticed that each landing brings with it a surprise of some sort and this was no exception. Later in the afternoon we returned to the landing site to discover three dance groups performing each to their own rhythm, melding rock’n’roll, country blues and roots with a dash of reggae. Each group was accompanied by its own musicians playing an assortment of instruments from bamboo flutes to large wooden trombones made from cylinders of wood topped with coconut sheets. Once the official dance procession finished the real dancing commenced with the locals enjoying every minute as if we were invisible. It was a truly amazing moment in time with the local dancers enjoying the activity more than visitors.
© A.Russ
Day 11 –18 October 2014
Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands
6’42 S – 156’24 E
We were in for a special treat this morning as we joined our expedition team on a Zodiac journey into the mangrove canals of Choiseul Island along the Sui River. At each turn the undergrowth evolved - first we learned about the complexities of the mangroves and then experienced the dense rainforest as it spilled out over the low coral shoreline. After a short, slippery waterfall walk we continued our voyage and visited Poro Poro village. On entry some feared for their lives as young men dressed in warrior attire leapt from the undergrowth – flashes of cannibalism stories ran through our minds. Thankfully we did not need to worry as the fearsome yelling soon subsided into laughter at their antics – we were safe! Fresh banana, nali nut, pomelo and fresh coconut awaited our arrival. Once the official welcome was completed we were introduced to a Polynesian style welcome, treated to demonstrations of weaving and lapita style of non-kiln pottery firing. The human settlement of the Pacific in general, and the origin of the Polynesians in particular, have been topics of debate for over two centuries. Polynesian origins are most immediately traced to people who arrived in the Fiji, Tonga and Samoa region 3,000BP (before present) and are clearly associated with the Lapita Cultural Complex. Whilst it is believed that the Solomon Islands were inhabited approximately 29,000BP, the dispersal of Lapita pottery and other artifacts appear from the Reef/Santa Cruz group east of the Solomon chain.
The birders undertook morning and afternoon Zodiac cruises along the Sui River and recorded a number of interesting species. Cardinal Lories were wonderfully common and Eclectus Parrots were watched entering their nest holes. Several species of kingfisher were observed including the stunning Beach Kingfisher and the group enjoyed an excellent encounter with a displaying pair of Ultramarine Kingfishers. Afternoon snorkeling on the reef in front of Poro was slightly more turbid than what we had become accustomed to, and although the reef had less than perfect visibility, it certainly compensated for this by providing fantastic coral and fish life. Beautiful flowing stands of Nepthya soft corals, branching Porites, Pachyseris, and Goniopora made nice habitat for stunning Masked and Bicolour Angelfish. Our evening was filled with drinks in the Globe Bar followed by recap and dinner.
© A.Russ
Day 12 - Solomon Islands 19 October 2014
Kolombangarra Island (Rinaggi Village),
8’07 S – 151’06 E
When telling friends of our intended expedition the reply would often be “why” and “where”? Well this morning we could say WOW! As we stepped onto the deck of the Spirit of Enderby, we were greeted by the highest point in the Solomon Islands chain, the extinct volcano of Kolombonagara. Mill pond waterways reflected this magnificent peak as we made our way to the landing spot. Once ashore we were welcomed by an impressive array of PVC assisted bamboo bands and even a full orchestra. Each was vying for our attention as they created magic by energetically hitting the top of the pipes with flip flops. Feet tapping and bodies wiggling, we bopped to the incredible sound created by this big band and accompanying choral singers. We left the musicians of Rinaggi Village behind and piled onto open air and canopy trucks. Perched on small wooden seats, we were transported through a sustainable commercial timber plantation to the top of the mountain. The conversation area of Kolombangara above 400m covers an area of over 20,000 hectares (200 sq km), which equates to approximately 28% of the island, making it the largest conservation area in the Solomon Islands. Both locals and the conservation group maintain wildlife corridors along with marine protection areas.
The birders spent the morning in the spectacular and well protected hill forests around Imburano Lodge. It was one of the best birding outings on the expedition and it seemed as if every tree was full of brilliant Cardinal Lories. Mixed species flocks had White-capped Monarchs, Crimson-rumped Myzomelas and Solomons White-eyes. From the lodge balcony we had the chance to observe Pale Mountain Pigeon, Solomons Cockatoos, Pied Goshawk and Song Parrot. Some of our group enjoyed the solitude of rainforest walks while others chose the more energetic option with Moshe and Conor as they slid, slipped and splashed down the path to the rapids below. Most returned refreshed, if a little flushed from the experience.
Snorkeling over a coral conservation area we later discovered clams, clown fish and beche de mer. The locals were doing some reef remediation by transplanting coral nubbins onto wire racks and they also did some fish feeding off the jetty which brought in parrotfish, sergeant majors and several snapper. The reef flat had many curious and bold pairs of pipefish, which were feeding over the Porites corals with their comical looking eyes, while sailor’s eyeball algae (Valonia) appeared to look back at us. The deeper areas of the reef looked as though they had been previously dynamite fished and the locals spoke of a tsunami that had also damaged the reef.
Late in the afternoon we went out in the Zodiacs to traverse the same area that the Japanese had retreated to after their defeat in Guadalcanal (in mid 1942). “Only 5 minutes around the corner” we were told by the locals. So some 25 minutes later we finally ventured ashore. Following in the footstep of the Japanese infantry we trudged the muddy trails through dense forest finally arriving at what was once a Japanese infantry hospital buried deep within the pumice stone. Those eager to see inside ventured through the ankle deep mud into the darkness. Quite the experience and one I am sure some will gloat about on their return. Close to this area on 2 August 1943, future US President JF Kennedy, then aged 26, and his 12 man crew were out in the Blackett Strait, east of Ghizo when a Japanese destroyer that was part of the so-called Tokyo Express rammed their boat. Many days passed as the surviving crew went undetected, presumed dead. They survived on each other’s determination and courage until coast watchers located them. Kennedy had carved an SOS on a coconut which locals delivered asking for a rescue boat.
© A.Russ
Day 13 – 20 October 2014
Arnavon, Santa Isabel Island - Solomon Islands
7’27 S – 158’03 E
This morning we were privileged to visit the Arnavon Turtle Conservation Area on Santa Isabel Island. Keeping up with our tradition of visiting areas seldom seen by tourists or other cruising vessels, we were delighted to have the chance for an informative and interesting tour of the turtle conservation area. The island serves as a rookery, primarily for Hawksbill Turtles, but sometimes Green and Leatherback Turtles also venture into its waters. We were lucky to witness an adult female Green Turtle being tagged. The staff then released a nest of hatchling Hawksbill Turtles and we had the pleasure of watching the 107 hatchlings make their dash to the waters edge. Few before them would have experienced such a large group of fascinated paparazzi while they had their first contact with surf and frantically swam into the deep blue to begin their lives. We wished them good luck and hoped they would return here in 25 years. The birders spent some time checking out a flock of migrant waders that included about 8 species – most of which are not on the official island list. They included Beach Stone Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit and Terek Sandpipers. An Osprey was also seen carrying a fish to its huge stick nest. Rough seas put paid to our last snorkel stop so we settled in to watch a documentary depicting the first European contact in the 1930’s within the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Next it was time to finalise our onboard accounts and hear our final presentation entitled ‘Turning the Tide in the Pacific War’ before Adam encouraged us to come on deck to witness what he described as the largest flock of pelagic birds he had ever seen. Just off the port side of the Spirit of Enderby hundreds of Frigate Birds were circling the sky in regimental formation.
During the evening we gathered for our final recap and a briefing about the final day of our extraordinary expedition. As we watched the incredible presentation of over 200 photos depicting the essence of our time in Melanesia compiled by Aaron and the expedition team, we were left with a sense of awe of all we had accomplished travelling over 1,500 nautical miles and completing over 26 movements during our 14 days together. We toasted the expedition team and our fellow travellers with whom we would share a life-long bond. In the famous words of the American Anthropologist, Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” What we will take away from the amazing people we have met in Melanesia is the importance of a community taking the initiative to work together toward common goals. 
© A.Russ
Day 14 – 21 October 2014
Honiara, Solomon Islands
We anchored in the harbour off Honiara on the northern coast of Guadalcanal in the early morning. Honiara was a military base during World War II and is the capital of the Solomon Islands. The birders had an early start and headed to the rain-forested slopes of Mount Austen in search of some of the Solomon Islands’ most spectacular birds, including the Solomon Sea Eagle. The area around Honiara witnessed many major naval battles which some would say was the starting point of turning the tide on the Japanese invasion within the Pacific War. Today some of our group enjoyed the opportunity to tour Honiara, visiting WWII historical sites including Henderson Airfield, war memorials and the open-air war museum. Others transferred to the local hotel to begin their homeward journey while some returned to the ship to continue on the ‘Secrets of Melanesia’ journey through the Solomon Islands to Vanuatu.
Voyage Log compiled by: Suzanne Noakes with assistance from Adam Walleyn & Conor Jones
