PAPUA NEW GUINEA
EXPEDITION
AN UNMOTORISED CROSSING
10th May 2014
Week 9: Kiunga & the boat
Whilst it was a fantastic experience, the fate of our Amazon challenge was ultimately sealed at a geographical mid-way point in the trip, as we moved from land to boat.
After three months of walking, we had taken the decision to build a boat which would allow us to complete the journey on water. In the isolated Peruvian outpost of Pucallpa, the team and I spent an entire month constructing a boat which sucked resources from us, as we methodically paid for power tools, materials, generators, hotel bills and living expenses. The product of our hard earned time and money was to be our vessel for the remainder of the Amazon River, but ‘HMS Persevere’ ultimately sank several times and helped to terminate our exped before the planned achievement. With hindsight, the biggest mistake was our reluctance to outsource jobs to better qualified people, trying to undertake a job where exacting skill and experience is paramount to success.
The last couple of days have been a whirlwind of activity. As our exped makes the transition from terra firma on to water, our equipment needs and packing routines have changed radically.
Our thoroughly exhausted and scarred jungle boots now lie at the bottom of our bergans, polished and sealed in plastic to prevent mould over the next few weeks. Our paddles have, for the first time, seen the light of day and we have both been quietly contemplating the prospect of having to exercise our now seriously depleted upper bodies, propelling ourselves along the tidal river to Daru, the end of the expedition.
Neither of us had previously dwelled on stage 3, despite having planned this project over a vast two year period. As nine weeks of physical intensity have taken their toll, we have both begun to appreciate the massive task that we have set ourselves.
This is the second time that I have helped oversee the construction of a vessel suited to a long range river expedition. My first outbreak in to the murky realms of boat building was gained four years ago, as a team of friends and I attempted to cover the Amazon River by human power, navigating our way from source to sea.
With these lessons in mind, Richard and I have designed a craft from two canoes, with a lightweight ‘catamaran’ style mid-section, enabling us to very quickly and easily separate if the situation requires. This will be a massive advantage if one were to be swamped and sink, or caught on a submerged tree. It is our concession to safety- eliminating the need for a lifeboat. Lashing the canoes together provides essential stability, enabling us to walk, cook and possibly sleep on the boat. This will be especially important when the river widens and we have to deal with a daily tidal bore, in waters which harbour saltwater crocodiles.
To save time and money, we employed a local carpenter to assemble the craft to our specification. Following our arrival last week, the boat took only three days to make, at an extremely low cost. Although the design is rudimentary, the benefits of a reduced build time, nimble river handling and low cost were paramount to helping us towards our objective of crossing Papua New Guinea by human power. Time is a critical matter at this stage- our two month tourist visas have now expired and a one month extension (we hope!) has been arranged by our immigration support of Brunel, based in Port Moresby. The month extension is the longest stay available to us, and this is in our minds as we continue our journey.
As we set off to embark on our river adventure, I now feel confident that it is in mine, Richard’s and the boat’s abilities to reach Daru, and by god we intend to try!
Patrick Hutton
[blog called in via AST Satellite Comms]
