EXPLORING THE WEST PACIFIC

Carl and Diane Frost

Carl and Diane, from Riviera Beach, Florida are cruising aboard their 42ft' Kama Lua. 'In June 1995 they departed New Zealand for Fiji, Vanuatu and the Santa Cruz Islands, reaching Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia in time for Christmas.

Kosrae, at the eastern extreme of the newly formed Federated States of Micronesia, celebrates Christmas with Christian marching inside the Lelu Village church. A record fourteen yachts were in attendance in 1995. We were hosted by Ted Sigrah, who organizes an extravagant feast complete with one of his massive porkers cooked to perfection the traditional way on a pile of glowing rocks overlaid with elephant ear leaves and burlap bags to seal in the oven heat.

After each yacht had added their share of gourmet munchies the array of menu items would have rivalled any buffet we've ever seen. We ate at Ted's home, currently under construction with significant technical skills and labour contributed by most of us there. Carl did the electrical wiring. By April we had moved Ted's family from their crumbling lagoon-edge hovel into a modern four bedroom, two bathroom, block mansion. Kosrae is very laid back and enjoys an excellent living standard thanks to substantial US aid, soon to end. Most yachts prefer Lelu anchorage due to its proximity to post and tele~com, however we found the Okat anchorage much more attractive with the numerous mangrove channels and Walung beach to enjoy.

Pingelap Atoll residents still practice a form of night fishing called 'kahlek', using flaming palm fronds to attract flying fish into a pole net held by one unlucky fellow who occasionally gets speared by the nasty 'belonidai' -- a hefty needlefish. Local custom requires the fishermen, who stand in canoes, to abstain from baby sitting, avoid pig manure and not eat or drink after 1600 on a fishing night. Twelve canoes gave us a performance to remember. Unless you can float over the reef at high tide to enter the lagoon the only alternative is to hang your pick from the coral reef on the lee side and allow the trades to hold the yacht over the deep blue as the reef falls away quite dramatically. There is excellent snorkelling and diving.

Kapingimarangi Atoll possesses a proper lagoon entrance with few submerged hazards once inside. At the southern extreme of the Federated States of Micronesia, Kapi was once quite self-sufficient as documented by Lieber's 'More Than Just a Living' (Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado). This fascinating study details over one hundred traditional fishing methods once practiced but now fading from memory. Today rice and petrol have displaced tradition, with a need to earn hard currency which usually involves family members moving to Guam or Pohnpei to work. Kapi's equatorial position means relative tranquility weatherwise, and calms seemed to prevail late May. Bring plenty of diesel for the Pohnpei-Gizo run. It's a great intermediate stop to the Solomons. Keep your current (or expired) FSM cruising permit to show the chiefs you are (were) legal.

Only humpback and pilot whales greeted us in the Bougainville Strait which is a hotspot of BRA rebel traffic. While we never saw the Solomon Island patrol, or rebels either, we personally spoke with two yacht owners who followed in our wake who enjoyed the privilege of hosting police officers mid-strait. For Gizo bound yachts the alternative Manning Strait demands careful planning from Pohnpei as it lies a couple of hundred miles to the east and the trades and equatorial currents make this pretty tough if you're cruising at under 6 knots, which isn't uncommon in this region. Also look out for the westerly busters which are usually associated with the equatorial trough or convergence zone.

Ontong Java, a remote northern atoll, is not recommended prior to proper Solomon Islands clearance though no special permission is necessary (contrary to what some will tell you). Yachts rarely visit and negotiations with the chief's council for landing rights took five hours and consumed buckets of coffee and much tobacco from our trading supply of Winstons. At the time of our arrival Ontong Jama was suffering from a tobacco shortage, so once the formalities had concluded and villagers were permitted to visit the yacht we were inundated by an armada of canoes whose occupants came to trade anything imaginable for a butt -- one cigarette bought two drinking nuts; two cigarettes bought four shells. Soon we had a month's supply of nuts and enough shells for a museum. The shelf life of a husked coconut is about two days (unless refrigerated), so while Diane traded on starboard I distributed free nuts to children on port. We found the beaches world class (no tourists at all) and the villages tidy and prosperous where the living standard is boosted by substantial 'beche-de-mer' and copra harvests. We witnessed local men free diving to depths exceeding 30 metres to fetch the black carcasses. Conservation is practiced and enforced by the council. Surprisingly fibreglass canoes have all but replaced their hand carved ancestors, although on a couple of occasions we witnessed traditional wooden sailing canoes fishing. Breadfruit trees were~ scarce compared to the Micronesian atolls which might account for the plastic canoes here.

Nearby Roncador Reef, which the Ontong Java chiefs consider their own, gave Carl thrills spearfishing among (limitless) sharks -- and the fishing was superb. Anchor on a sandbank near the reef flat as the lagoon is mostly foul and deep. Alternatively Kerehikpa Island at Arnavon (Manning Strait), a new marine conservation area under full time ranger care, is making progress with turtles and giant clam repopulation. The excellent coral free anchorage is sheltered from the trades so you can enjoy the escorted overnight walks along miles of beach to discover turtles laying their eggs. The daily anchorage fee contributes to a good cause as this is a model project, supported by Nature Conservancy, to encourage sustainable harvesting.

The Lau Lagoon at the northern end of Malaita also has much to recommend it. The 1« mile winding pass is deep and clear but should only be attempted at low tide as it is poorly staked. Sadly this deters yachts -- we were alone and were told visitors rarely come to this remote corner of the Solomons. It's worth the trip to view the hand-made islands and Taqua Village women's market nestled in the bush. Carl hired the Gwou'ulu Village Band Pipers, a youth group, to give a private performance and we were so impressed we offered to sponsor the entire group to visit Honiara on Guadalcanal for next year's Trade Fair. This is a big cultural show held each July which features music, dance and agriculture. It's where the many cultures and ethnic groups merge into celebration and sharing ideas and also where the South Pacific Arts Festival will be held in 1998 -- a worthwhile item on your cruising itinerary.

Cruisers' opinions about Honiara range from `rolly', `dusty', `history interesting', `history poorly preserved' to `little charm'. However unanimous opinion regards the Point Cruz Yacht Club as well above expectations: a genteel island in a steamy jungle town. While the club is clean, modern and excellent for conversation the anchorage leaves much to be desired. You either moor stern-to at a rip-rap peninsula, or anchor amongst local fishing and trade boats on a sandy shelf all but wide open to northern quarter winds. It's often crowded during the cruising season and the deep water makes a stern anchor a tenuous proposition.

Victualling at Honiara is convenient and the choice pretty the good -- but forget about the wine and cheese you savored at Port Vila. No French influence here. Sol Brew beer is as good as it gets. The farmer's market is a necessary pilgrimage to savour local ambiance and a good assortment of produce. Vendors and patrons alike conduct business bathed in searing tropic sun or tepid showers, on a grass and mud plot adjacent to a coral rubble beach. Produce lies in neat piles on hand woven mats at your feet. It's often wrapped in leaves or sold in baskets woven from palm fronds. The horrible plastic sacks which litter the earth are sold individually for 20c Solomon and up -- a good trend toward conservation. Even the plethora of betel (Areca) nut dealers package their lime and seeds into environmentally friendly leaf sacks, secured with a coconut fibre tie or lanyard to hang about one's neck for ready access; but the outcome, mixed with saliva and regurgitated by men and women of every age, is something we'd rather forget. This market serves as an excellent introduction to what you'll often encounter, albeit on a smaller scale, when cruising the other Solomon islands.

The Florida Group lies a day sail from Honiara across Iron Bottom Sound. There are fine anchorages there in addition to some slipways. I inspected the recently installed 200 ton rail at the historic Taroaniara Shipyard owned by the Church of Melanesia. Sited at the Anglican Mission station on Nggela Sule, the yard features engineering workshops nested in a former coconut plantation surrounded by great scenery of adjacent jungle clad islands. A few local women sold a bit of produce under the shade of a banyan beside a sandy beach handy to land a yacht's tender or dingy.

Our visit to Marau Sound rewarded us with a calm and private anchorage at the cul-de-sac at the southeast corner of Malapa Bay half a mile east of the immaculate Tavanipupu Island Resort -- our favourite. It's small and low-key. The setting is classic and tasteful South Pacific motif. Art, collected by the owners, includes an interesting collection of wood carvings from African and Pacific island nations. Alternative anchorages in close proximity offer either village life or total isolation depending upon your mood. With a relatively fast tender the Sound's environs offer a wide choice of day trips in sheltered waters flanked by sandy cays (like Gizo) and a few villages.

The Solomon Islands cruiser has at his disposal a potpourri of mostly outdated charts from primarily three sources: British Admiralty, US Defense Mapping Agency and the Solomon Islands Hydrographic Office. Copies of the antiquated HO series, which predate the DMA, are worth carrying as they examine numerous anchorages in large scale ignored by the later editions. The Solomon Islands Land Survey sells topographic maps which can be quite useful, as most reefs are illustrated and they feature countless villages and landmarks ignored by the maritime authorities. In addition Dirk, Commodore of the new Gizo Yacht Club at the Gizo Hotel and owner of a Farr 46 called 'Xkp', has published a handy cruising guide with emphasis on the Western Province and New Georgia. No matter which chart is used, eyeball navigation soon becomes a practiced art here.

The weather during our June-September visit was benign except for some scary electrical storms in late July. The trades usually arrive by June but the ones we experienced during 1996 in the vicinity of `The Slot' were usually light to moderate east-southeast, with numerous calms and only a few fresh to strong days noted. At night the trades frequently died, replaced next to the larger islands by onshore breezes. The predominant driver seemed to be the strength and latitude of the Australian high.

New fuel depots at Noro (New Georgia) and Gizo (Western Province) offer proper jetties and fuel quality was excellent. Noro serves the tuna fishing fleet in addition to large ships, so duty free fuel was available for large yachts. Plentiful rain kept our water tanks full but for those less fortunate good water can also be loaded at Noro.

You're never alone in the Solomons. We were frequently visited by carvers hoping to make a big trade or sale. Morovo Lagoon has a carver under every coconut palm and is infamous for the hard sell -- keeping your sense of humour when traders call at sunrise and remain past dusk determines your enjoyment of these places, where pitch of trading grows so intense that yachtsmen bargain for hours over countless cups of coffee to acquire that `spirit of Solomons' masterpiece. When carvings are absent other commodities promptly come to the fore. Shells, including the elusive Golden Cowrie, and produce of every description came to 'Kama Lua' in an endless convoy of dugout canoes which massed about our aft cockpit two to three deep, leaving behind a graffiti of paint scars on the topsides as canoes bounced and bobbed past our shield of ineffective fenders. Solomon Islanders are clever traders. They often requested factory goods in lieu of hard to spend cash. We discovered a couple items in particular demand -- children's clothing and bed linen. Lollies and balloons were especially valuable, as were pencils, crayons and coloring books...

Late September, and we were sailing with moderate trades towards Townsville, Queensland. During the five days between Guadalcanal and Flinders Reef we luxuriated in consistent easterlies and settled seas. On day six the wind backed to northeast force 4, and our first contact with Australia came with the close flyby of Coastwatch Flight 162 who apparently photographed the yacht twice while interrogating me over the VHF. Vigilance replaced complacency when strong northerlies coincided with our new moon baptism through the Great Barrier Reef via Palm Passage, a popular ship route. The risk was acceptable given current Australian charts, GPS, radar and a couple of strategically placed lights. We hurtled into the black void of foul night under full sail, a little wary and apprehensive and with a keen eye on the sonar. Dawn, and stark naked Australia stood.

Returning to civilization at low key Townsville was a good move towards easing into the fast lane of urban life. And the city boasts truly friendly residents. Diane and I fell into the usual routine of gorging ourselves on cinema, ice cream and pizza, not to mention wandering the alleys of Woolworths' grocery in shock. We luxuriated in the excellent hot showers at Breakwater Marina and threw our clothes at a washing machine instead of into a bucket of suds and rainwater. The jungle rot afflicting my right foot healed in the dryness and absence from daily dingy excursions to beaches. Our cruising style in Australia changed too. Electronic navigation with GPS waypoints and lengthy daily runs replaced the island hopping we had grown accustomed to. We concerned ourselves with avoiding ore carriers and container ships in lieu of canoes as 'Kama Lua' made her way south. A side trip to Lord Howe Island eventuated.

The passage to this World Heritage Island about 320 miles offshore became an unpleasant affair as the incorrigible Tasman Sea, confused and uncomfortable even in settled weather, misbehaved in a strong southeaster. Despite the trial of travel the reward of mooring in Lord Howe's shallow and often rolly lagoon justified the nauseous five day passage. Easily our favourite Australian destination, what really impressed us about Lord Howe were the first class picnic and barbecue facilities nestled in manicured landscapes, serenaded by unthreatened birdlife and adorned by soaring rock formations. Complementary firewood awaits your feast.

Our three day motor-sail from Lord Howe to Port Stephens lacked adequate steady wind, yet the sea remained confused. Currents from many directions often exceeded 1 knot. Then the Christmas holiday mob scene at sportfishing centre Nelson Bay jolted us back to consumerism, and for the princely sum of $800 d'Alboras Marina provided a secure pen to shelter 'Kama Lua' for five weeks while we did some land touring. Among other things we investigated Melbourne which sadly lacks quality yachting facilities. Meanwhile back at Port Stephens we discovered two other quality marinas and what appears to be the best value hardstanding in the South Pacific at Oyster Cove. The port lacks anchorages for its massive size, yet in settled weather there are some fine beaches to anchor off. Our enjoyable dingy trip up the Myall River into wilderness coastal forest reminded us of what our former home of Florida might have looked like prior to development.

Broken Bay, thirty miles north of Sydney Harbour, demonstrates the strains on the environment when national parks coexist with suburbia. At Church Point we found the best city bus connections. With thousands of yachts in Pittwater marine services are available at several marinas, yacht clubs and slipways. Sadly, over a month we encountered only a handful of overseas cruisers there, possibly due to the anchorage restrictions. Between Christmas and March it's impossible to book marina berths and even moorings are in short supply.

March '97 finds 'Kama Lua' lavished with attention as we refit her prior to being out on the hardstanding for seven months at Cove Marine. We hope to cruise Tasmania next summer, and by July '98 wish to return to the Solomon Islands followed by Palan for Christmas.

(2813 words)

®MDBO¯PLACES MENTIONED'

®MDBO¯Federated States of Micronesia'

Kosrae (Kusaie)

Pingelap Atoll (as is)

Pohnpei (Ponape)

Kapingimarangi Atoll (Kapingamarangi)

®MDBO¯Solomon Islands'

Bougainville Strait

Gizo

Manning Strait

Ontong Java Atoll + Roncador Reef

Kerehikpa Island at Arnavon (Manning Strait)

Lau Lagoon, Malaita

Honiara, Guadalcanal

Point Cruz Yacht Club (Honiara)

The Florida Group + Taroaniara Shipyard + Nggela Sule

Iron Bottom Sound

Marau Sound + Malapa Bay + Tavanipupu Island Resort

Noro, New Georgia

Gizo, Western Province

Morovo Lagoon

Guadalcanal - Flinders Reef

Great Barrier Reef via Palm Passage

Townsville, Queensland

Lord Howe Island

Tasman Sea

Port Stephens

Broken Bay

Sydney Harbour

Pittwater

Cove Marine

Tasmania