Wewak to Wuvuvu Island
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Wewak to Wuvulu Island in the Bismark Sea
We arrived in Wewak and were collected by our contacts for Wuvulu Island . We toured around Wewak looking at the 2nd World War memorial. We purchased ice and supplies such as beer and mosquito nets to take over for our comfort and flour and other food for our hosts .
After a 1 hour flight about 200 kms off the coast we spotted Wuvulu Island .With a population of about 800 people it is one of the most isolated Islands off PNG . We landed on the slippery hand slashed grass airstrip and were welcomed by about 60 of the locals.
We were shuttled to our accomodation - an old house by our host John with the only 3 motor bikes for the Island and a small tractor and trailer that is the only transport for Copra-[Coconut]which is the Islands only source of income.
That night enjoyed a huge delicious traditional Wuvulu feast of coconut crab, fish, sweet potatoe and greens prepared by Johns wife.
The next morning we hired a boat and tried our hand at some fishing . We stopped and did some snorkeling on what the father of scuba diving ,Jaques Yves Cousteau described as some of the finest diving in the world along the fringing reef with 1000 foot drop offs. This is due to the remoteness of the Island the fact that there are no rivers on the Island.
In the afternoon we hired bycicles - the main form of transport and rode across the island to Aunu[sunrise] village from Onne[sunset] village.
On the way we looking at the Taro Pits and communal gardens in the centre of the Island . These hand dug pits are about 2 metres deep and like huge 'paddys' full of the giant Taro and Casava plants soaking their roots in the collected rain water.
We also saw a 12 metre long and very unique 'wavepiercing' war canoe being built from a single log.
That evening another Traditional feast and and chatted with John and his people into the night. In the morning we saw the special coral cooking beds [stoves ] and pandanus "plates" the food is cooked on in use for our breakfast.
Rod returned after shuttling some of the luggage over to Vanimo the day before and it was decided that he would only take Rod and Charlie out due to the shortness and boggyness of the grass strip . Crabby and myself caught a flight on a 'Sumer Institute of Linguistics' flight that had just shuttled in 7 american bible translators to the Island.
After a 1 hour flight about 200 kms off the coast we spotted Wuvulu Island .With a population of about 800 people it is one of the most isolated Islands off PNG . We landed on the slippery hand slashed grass airstrip and were welcomed by about 60 of the locals.
We were shuttled to our accomodation - an old house by our host John with the only 3 motor bikes for the Island and a small tractor and trailer that is the only transport for Copra-[Coconut]which is the Islands only source of income.
That night enjoyed a huge delicious traditional Wuvulu feast of coconut crab, fish, sweet potatoe and greens prepared by Johns wife.
The next morning we hired a boat and tried our hand at some fishing . We stopped and did some snorkeling on what the father of scuba diving ,Jaques Yves Cousteau described as some of the finest diving in the world along the fringing reef with 1000 foot drop offs. This is due to the remoteness of the Island the fact that there are no rivers on the Island.
In the afternoon we hired bycicles - the main form of transport and rode across the island to Aunu[sunrise] village from Onne[sunset] village.
On the way we looking at the Taro Pits and communal gardens in the centre of the Island . These hand dug pits are about 2 metres deep and like huge 'paddys' full of the giant Taro and Casava plants soaking their roots in the collected rain water.
We also saw a 12 metre long and very unique 'wavepiercing' war canoe being built from a single log.
That evening another Traditional feast and and chatted with John and his people into the night. In the morning we saw the special coral cooking beds [stoves ] and pandanus "plates" the food is cooked on in use for our breakfast.
Rod returned after shuttling some of the luggage over to Vanimo the day before and it was decided that he would only take Rod and Charlie out due to the shortness and boggyness of the grass strip . Crabby and myself caught a flight on a 'Sumer Institute of Linguistics' flight that had just shuttled in 7 american bible translators to the Island.
The Tiger People
Todays gentle inhabitants ancestors, where once renowned as a ferocius race of savages- from the reports of its discovery by Europeans in 1817.
This gave the Island the original name of 'Tiger Island'.
This gave the Island the original name of 'Tiger Island'.
Wuvulu Houses
Most Houses are built on stilts and have walls of platted palm fronds. We also noticed Houses built of hand cut planks tightly fitted together to keep the mosquitoes out .
The Coconut Crab [kuka]is a large ground dwelling hermit crab. They climb the coconut palms and with their huge claws chomp right through the coconut husk and eat the coconut.
The formidable beast's claws, that can chop of a finger are prized for their sweet meat.
The formidable beast's claws, that can chop of a finger are prized for their sweet meat.
Coconut Crab
Photo by Francois R. Brenot, Copyright © 1972-2003 by The Wuvulu Research Center. Reproduced with permission.
Wuvulu Island.
8 kms from east to west and no place is more than 2 metres above sealevel.The island is surrrounded with fringing coral that is neatly under cut up to 20 metres in waters where underwater visability is rarely less than 30 metres.
Wuvulu Island.
8 kms from east to west and no place is more than 2 metres above sealevel.The island is surrrounded with fringing coral that is neatly under cut up to 20 metres in waters where underwater visability is rarely less than 30 metres.
Wuvulu Hut -built of palm fronds . Other houses are built of slabbed timber.
a Toilet with a great veiw!
