Page 57 - Underwater Photography (January-February 2020)
P. 57
Papua New Guinea
By Mike Bartick
Papua New Guinea is one of extra allowance for scuba gear! finally
those destinations that I’ve always some love for divers.
heard about but never imagined Contrary to what I had read
myself going to, that is until I on the internet, I found the people
received a phone call on Christmas of PNG to be friendly and helpful.
morning informing me that I had won Almost everyone spoke English there
the world shootout! The Grand Prize and sported a giant red toothed smile
was 21 days of travel in PNG with anytime you said hello. On the first
flights, for 2. Holy cow, you gotta be trip down we connected through with
kidding me man PNG? short layovers. We stayed in the local
Instantly I began to search for Hilton on the way out and I highly
info on the diving there, only to find recommend the restaurant adjacent to
it scarce and uninformative, mostly the Hotel. One of the best steaks I’ve Barracudas are present on several of the dives. The schools are good sized and if
fluffy trip reports. As a macro guy I ever eaten and it wasn’t expensive. On approached slowly, they will hang out and allow you to get some nice keeper shots.
didn’t really see anything regarding the second trip I made a few months I’ve found that approaching schools like this can be done slowly and moving
macro for Kimbe Bay either, so I later, I was forced to grab a day room sideways to the school. A head on approach will spook them so take your time.
wasn’t sure how to prepare. Naturally, at a local resort in POM. There were Allow them to come to you if you can and you will keep the best benefits.
instead of being caught short, I plenty to choose from so that was
brought everything I could, including simple and all of them offered free
clothes this time which for anyone airport shuttles.
that travels with camera gear will You can also opt for cultural
know, a change of clothes is a luxury! tours, birdwatching, butterfly
Getting to PNG is simple watching even a trip to the highlands.
enough with daily flights arriving
Port Moresby (POM) from around When In Kimbe:
the world. Inter island flights aren’t Walindi plantation was built by
difficult either but can be a little Max Benjamin and his lovely wife 32
unreliable, particularly afternoon years ago on the shoreline of Kimbe
flights. Bay, Papua New Guinea of which it is
The bonus is, that if you present also the capital city of the province of
your C-card to either of the inter- West New Britain. Kimbe Bay, aprx.
island carriers, you will be granted an 1500 sq. miles is also a nature reserve
Issue 112/57 www.uwpmag.com
