Coconut Spray; The Niugini Experience

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Drailed
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by Drailed » Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:58 am

Way more consistent as well I would have thought. Book ten days off in swell season there and you most likely score good waves for 8 of them...
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by Slowman » Mon Mar 16, 2015 11:17 am

And now there is the saga of trying to claim the travel insurance for the extra cost of missing flights. QBE travel insurance, I'm getting the standard runaround asking for all kinds of documentation which I have supplied and now they want me to go back to Virgin and ask for a refund and get a letter from Virgin explaining why they won't issue one.... all for a measly 209-100excess=$109 they obviously hope I'll give up!

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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by Slowman » Mon Mar 16, 2015 11:20 am

what a bunch of CLINTS!

Image

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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by JET01 » Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:04 pm

Slowman wrote:
Mon Mar 09, 2015 9:17 am
andy2476 wrote:Great posts slow man, those sort of trips are great fun for sure. It's great you can appreciate the locals too,

But it's seems a hell of a lot of hassle to surf a 1/3 of box head.

Obviously all the other stuff adds. He'll blokes do that trip just to catch fish.
Yes you can find local waves just as good if not better but rarely as uncrowded. Like you say though Andy2476 the "other stuff" adds. For me the travel factor adds that extra element of novelty/stoke to any wave I find. For me it makes an average wave a good wave, or put another way a good experience or good surf, surfing an average wave. At home it's just an average experience punctuated with thoughts about all that other stuff like getting home in time to get the kids off to soccer, getting the garage door fixed, mowing lawns and all that other minutae of ordinary life. The getaway factor helps clear the mind (of the problems of the first world) at least while away. Anyway, if we'd got Long Longs working I think that would possibly surpass anything much I've surfed back home 300-400m they say when it works! Imagine Greenmount breaking all the way to Kirra and getting barrelled on the Kirra section. Greenmount itself was a long wave when I surfed it years ago.

The other thing I wanted to say about PNG is the SAPNG surf management plan http://www.sapng.com/surf-management-plan under Niugini customary law the reefs are owned by the local tribe and so access needs to arranged. The plan purports among other things to keep a limit on surf numbers. For the time being I can see this working. At the moment it seems to work in favour of the camp and tour operators providing almost exclusive access, the way Fiji used to work. However as more and more locals take up surfing just like Fiji I can't see it continuing forever. For the moment though there are uncrowded waves. Our boat guides all surfed and some of them are quite good. For the time being their job apparently is to let us have any wave we want even if that means us dropping in on them. I for one couldn't and didn't, not after the way they put us into some of the waves and gave us all the secrets about where to sit and what to look for. Besides to some extent I pride myself and being able to fend for myself in any line up (well those I choose to paddle out in).

One of the guests had a word to one our guides that was getting a bit too excited and taking some good sets, the bugger had also dropped in a couple of times too so it was warranted but the trigger was when he didn't give the guest this one wave and took off inside. The guide was expected to just bail. I find that a hard call to make or exploit, for lots of reasons I guess. While the guide did tone it down I bet he was saying "ipskin" under his breath. I don't want to feel like some kind of over privileged tourist, besides I think for the long term it might create a bit of resentment, but where do you draw the line? It wouldn't matter that the ethnic background of the guide is irrelevant but I don't think that is how it would be perceived up here. We did come across one white guide on our return flight, he had come from Lissenung Island and was going home for a break, but generally the guides from what I have seen are locals. So it could easily be seen in terms of us and them. I suppose regardless of their backgrounds the guides at any surf resort have to share the waves around. You certainly don't want guides that snake and use their local knowledge to take every good wave leaving the guests with none. That won't do the business much good. I guess like all things there is a balance and when it is right it works for everyone. I actually enjoyed them sharing the lineup with us and taking turns just like the rest of us. What has been the experience of others?
I know this is digging up an old thread. But I've booked a trip to Nusa Island for Dec this year and I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to do such a detailed write up.
I haven't been able to find much info on the net about the place and what boards you really need to take.
I've pretty much made my mind up based on your accounts.

5'11 x 20 x 2 3/8 Firewire el fuego
6'0 x 19.6 x 2.5 PCC shorty
6'2 x 19 5/8 x 2 7/16 DHD Sweet spot 2.0
6'8 x 21 x 2 3/4 Miller waterskate 2+1 for the really small slow days.

Was thinking about leaving the 5'11 at home and taking a 7'7 x 22 x 2.9 single fin, but looks as though there'll be enough push to surf the shorties most days.

I'm open to counsel on this though.

Going for 8 days. Can't wait.
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by Beanpole » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:56 am

Watch Splinters on Netflix. It's a really interesting doco about surfing in Papua. Pretty heavy in parts.
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by ctd » Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:32 am

Friend of mine went Dec two years ago. Said that you can definitely long board/fun board/mini mal the waves if that is what you want to do ie the waves are suitable for longer boards if you want. The waves werent huge when he was there - 2-4ft mostly; that might be seasonal or he was just unlucky. Short boards were also fine, he mostly surfed his 6'6 and 6'10 (but he is unlikely to be as good as you are, since he surfs less regularly).

So I guess you can single fin or 3X shortboard, up to you.

the fishing was good

bring your own coffee - apparently they only had instant. That may have changed (I mean, instant in PNG!)

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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by JET01 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:19 pm

To be honest, I'm not fussed on the size of the waves. If it's only 3ft everyday we'd be fine with that. The lure of png for our group is having almost zero crowds.
I guess my aim is to take the most appropriate boards. I reckon I'll have to look at the forecast before we leave and take a best guess.
Seeing as it runs on the same swells as Hawaii dec should be consistent just considerably smaller.
Can't wait though. I love to fish so if it's flat then it's. It the end of the world. Plenty of good spaniards up that way to keep us busy.
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by marauding mullet » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:21 pm

Beanpole wrote:
Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:56 am
Watch Splinters on Netflix. It's a really interesting doco about surfing in Papua. Pretty heavy in parts.
It's not on my netflix BP, have you got the Netflix from U.S. ?
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by JET01 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:27 pm

I just watched it. It wasn't on Netflix, but was on YouTube.

Heavy movie indeed.

Questionable behaviour by the jilted ex wife....

I guess she'll never get her cash now he's behind bars.
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by ctd » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:38 pm


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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by Drailed » Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:22 pm

I just watched that.. bloody hell. What a country of ruddy savages.

Only chance I would get out there is on Shane Peels boat, can they get to it by canoe at night or is it secure?
Trev wrote:I have always had a lot of time for Dick
smnmntll wrote:Got one in the mouth once, that was pretty memorable

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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by JET01 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 11:06 pm

I'm not going to lie. It has got me thinking just a little... I won't be taking anything too valuable that's for sure....well apart from my life.
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by marauding mullet » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:20 pm

Knew some newcastle guys who went back in the 70's.
Up around Wewak somewhere, said it was awesome. They stayed with villagers, no problems. They said just had to be smart about things, like just take small change along for any shopping for food etc. at the market so nobody thinks you're rich. Probably worked back then, not sure they would buy it now.
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by JET01 » Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:16 pm

At the end of the day, i'm going to relax and surf. I doubt I'll leave the resort. I'm open to the idea, but this trip, the priority for me is surfing, not necessarily cultural experiences.
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Re: Cocunut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by Slowman » Fri Dec 01, 2017 4:52 pm

You can't really leave the resort, as it is on a small island, except with the resort manager and guides. One day towards the end of our stay (10 days) it was small and some went touring the WWII relics and also went to market day over on Kavieng. I was going to go but it started to get too hot so I lazed instead.

The whole time I was there I never saw a hint of trouble.

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Re: Coconut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by Beanpole » Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:03 pm

So any feedback, Jet?
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Re: Coconut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by JET01 » Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:40 am

Sorry boys,

Been offline for a while.

After the trip it went flat in sydney so I spent my Xmas break fishing and spending time with the family.

Long story short. Can’t wait to go back. Great place to relax. Food was top knotch. SP lager is literally the worst i’ve tasted in the world (after 12 years in the navy, i’ve had a few shit beers). Go the export variety and make sure you drink it quick while it’s cold. Now that’s the important stuff.

The surf: don’t go here if you’re expecting Indo-like waves. It’s just not that kind of place.
We got unlucky. WSW wind/weather system pretty much the whole time which meant we had a to drive down the coast of Kavieng most days to get a wave. There are a few breaks scattered down the coast. All the breaks on Kavieng didn’t get over 2ft the whole time. Got tubed on a bodyboard most of the time I was there.
We got Pikinini for short surf. 2-3ft, sketchy as. Wasn’t the greatest.
Surfed Nago left by myself one arvo got about 15 waves in 45mins. Would love to see this wave with a bit of size on it. Borrowed a 7’2 single fin egg from the resort and had a bit of fun cruising around on the fat outside section before grabbing a rail on the more bowly inside section. Can’t wait to get back to this wave.

We did a couple of fishing trips, picked up a small mackerel. Threw some lures for GT’s, nothing.
Drank a heap of Gin in a hammock. Read a book. Did some yoga.
Beds were comfy. And mozzie nets were in good nick so I didn’t get a single bite the whole time.
Went home with a massive smile on my face after being reminded just how lucky and how much we have in Australia.

Happy to answer any specific questions.
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Re: Coconut Spray; The Niugini Experience

Post by ctd » Tue Feb 13, 2018 10:51 am

JET01 wrote:
Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:40 am
SP lager is literally the worst i’ve tasted in the world (after 12 years in the navy, i’ve had a few shit beers). Go the export variety and make sure you drink it quick while it’s cold.
When I was flying to PNG in the early 1990s, we would take off from Cairns and as soon as the seatbelt sign went out the 'call the hostie' buttons would go off - ''bing, bing, bing, bing, bing' all up and down the plane. The hosties would just come down with a tray of SPs and all the PNG guys would take one off the tray.

15 minutes later 'bing, bing, bing'

30 minutes 'bing, bing. bing'

A few guys got loud but never saw any real issues.

so no crowds on your trip?

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