Cruising Around Northern PNG and onto Bali

Created by sue. Last modified on 2009-02-11 17:39:23
Topic: Malay Archipelago
Countries: Papua New Guinea

Hi there,

I am on board with my wife and 2 kids on our 45ft cat. We plan to sail through the South Pacific this year (2009), then at the end of the Pacific cruise season we plan to go Fiji - Vanuatu - Solomons - PNG - Bali, via northern PNG, going via Irian Jaya, Ambon and Sulawesi.

We will be going through there approx January-February 2010. Can you give me any advice on this route with weather etc.? It looks like ITCZ type sailing?

I have 6 years experience cruising off western Sumatra, never had any pirate probs there...but with wife and kids one starts to think...although the recent PNG piracy incidents sound like they happened in bigger harbours?

Thanks very much,
Gideon

Hi Gideon,

I noticed that you have a mid-1990s edition of my book (which is pretty ancient) - the current edition is the 6th edition and it is much updated and improved.

Your plan to go northabout PNG is good as it will help you avoid any possible cyclones in the Torres Straits area in Jan and Feb. On the N route you will probably have NW winds, but as this is an area with variable winds you will need to get some weather information off the internet.

There are some areas of PNG which are not safe, so look up current incidents on our Piracy page. The worst areas are around larger places.

Please let us know how it all went.

Good luck!

Jimmy Cornell