The sound of shouting and drums ushered in 2002 for us. Kathy and I woke up enough to understand what was happening and promptly fell back asleep. Our first night in the village; what a great way to start a new year.
New Years eve had began for us at 4AM with the chirping of our alarm clock. Wanting to be on the water as soon as it got light, we loaded the last of our supplies and equipment in the truck and drove over to where the boat was moored. To make our getaway as quick as possible, most of our supplies and equipment, including the stove and refridgerator, building supplies, food, and a couple of gas bottles had been loaded onto the boat on Sunday afternoon. A security guard watched after the boat through the night.
When we got to the mooring, everything was ready to go. The few things we brought were quickly loaded onto the boat and secured - and then we had to wait. It was still too dark to see. Finally at 5:50 we figured it was light enough. The motor sputtered to life and we were on our way.
After the problems encountered on the last trip we were a bit apprehensive. A high wind and small craft advisory was still in effect for PNG waters but we were hoping that with the early start we would avoid any problems. After an hour we rounded the cape and were disheartened to immediately start running into rougher water. It wasn't as bad as before, though, and after a few miles we were encouraged to see the seas calm again. Continuing on there were a only few places where the water was rough. For the most part it was a gentle and easy trip.
With the calmer seas we made great time and after five hours we came to the mouth of the Ramu River. This began a new phase of the trip. Since this is the rainy season the Ramu is at flood stage. The main hazard for river travel during this time of year comes from trees and debris being carried by the flood. The driver has to be alert to what is floating downriver and also has to watch for places where the water is boiling up - a sign of a submerged obstacle of some kind.
We picked our way through the debris and soon saw the first houses of Tambapmining. We pulled the boat into the bank and were greated by a large group of women and kids who took delight in welcoming us by rubbing berries on our faces and hair, painting us a bright shade of red. Interesting custom. We shook hands all around and then began the task of carrying all the supplies up to the house. Women and children carried boxes while the men handled the heavier items. The stove and refridgerator made their way to the house lashed to poles and carried between two men.
After the welcome and a bit of visiting, people went back to their houses and Kathy and I got to work. The main object of this visit was to get the appliances delivered and set up and to carefully survey the house to determine what would be needed to get it fully operational. While Kathy attacked the dirt, I worked on the fridge. In a couple of hours I had it all hooked up and ready to test. We turned on the gas, lit the burner, and waited. Because of the rough ride on the previous trip, we couldn't be sure it would work at all. But in a few minutes we came back and checked the freezer and were thrilled to find that it was getting cold. That means that on our next stay we can have fresh meat, cheese, veggies, and cold water.
The stove was more of a problem. The gas regulator had been damaged so when we turned on the gas at the bottle we could hear hissing. For the remainder of our stay, whenever Kathy wanted to cook something, I would turn on the gas, she would cook as quickly as possible, and then I would turn the gas back off. When we return, it will be with a couple of new regulators.
On New Years Day we got up early and while Kathy resumed her assault on the dirt I started surveying for needed repairs. Remarkably there is really not much that will need to be done. Besides replacing all the screen wire, I will need to rebuild the steps, make some plumbing and electrical repairs, clean and repair guttering, and install the new solar panels. Probably about two or three weeks will see all the major repairs completed. Kathy has her own list of things to do to make it a real home. We are looking forward to getting back and starting in.
By the end of the New Years Day all the work was done and we relaxed and visited with the villagers. Then early the next morning we loaded a few things on the boat and along with three men from Tambapmining started back to Madang. The trip back was even smoother than the trip out. With a light boat and smooth seas we made it from the village to Madang in five hours. Considering it takes over four hours to drive there, five hours by boat is fantastic.