We awoke at anchor this morning just off the palm-lined shore of the village of Lababia, on the island of New Guinea, the second largest island in the world. For many, the day began with watching a small feeding frenzy of terns diving into the water as larger fish pushed up from below. Both were intent on eating the smaller groups of fish just below the water’s surface as they moved around the Oceanic Discoverer.
We had a full and very enjoyable morning exploring the village stretched out along this lovely, long, sandy beach. Surrounded by steep terrain, this remote area is accessible only by boat or by foot. The local inhabitants call their town “Kamiali,” and they are very proud of the Kamiali Wildlife Management Area—a 175,000 acre reserve that has been established to protect and conserve the natural resources of the region.
The visit began with an entertaining sing-sing as the different groups vied for our attentions. The style of the men’s decorations was somewhat different here, utilizing strong white body paint designs. The community gathered round with enthusiasm, laughing and enjoying the performance along with us. From the sing-sing we moved to the adjoining marketplace, made colorful with fruits and vegetables added to the items for sale.
The villagers were very friendly, and again we were charmed by the engaging smiles of the many children we met during our visit. The English spoken here was perhaps the best we have encountered, making one-on-one communications easier. We learned from our new friends about their way of life, and glimpses of a more modern life were occasionally seen here interwoven with the traditional ways. Not far from the beach, we set off to explore inland via the river, some in our ship’s kayaks while others chose to go by local outrigger canoes. Back at the landing beach, most of the villagers had gathered, watching with great amusement as we had great splashing fights, playing with the many young boys and some girls in the water. The young boys, though small, were far superior splashers, and they won, hands down.
Back aboard the ship, our afternoon offered a talk by Rikki, “Thinking Out-of-the-Shoebox” with creative ideas for sharing images, and then another very interesting talk by Carol, “Politics: Are You Mad?” On deck, it was a beautiful day, with calm seas. Those so inclined were outside enjoying the leisure time, some with a book, others with a camera trying to capture images of the flying fish fleeing the ship as it approached. At dusk, there were also a few brief sightings of small, dolphin-sized whales, likely melon-headed or pygmy killer whales.
We ended another delightful day in paradise sailing peacefully towards our next destination.
