Trip Report - Loloata Island Resort - PNG

[thesmoothdome]

Loloata Island Resort
Our first stop in PNG was Loloata Island Resort. After a 15 minute drive and a 10 minute boat ride, we arrived at this little slice of paradise. When we began planning this trip we were told not to stay in Port Moresby, the city in which we arrived. Crime is rampant and the city is dangerous. EVERY building throughout the country is surrounded by fences and barbed wire. I have no doubt that the country’s major port of entry and largest city is dangerous. Loloata was the perfect solution. Island solitude, friendly attitudes and DIVING! We check in at the front desk/snack bar/gift shop/bar and are then escorted to our room. Rhonda, our host, tells us it’ll be a bit of a walk. Turns out that the room is ¼ mile away from the main part of the resort.

As we walk, I inquire about the workers schedule. Rhonda shares that she works 11 days straight and then goes home to Port Moresby for 3 days. She confides that she’d rather work than be home. Port Moresby is so dangerous that she’s not safe to leave her house for fear of being beaten, robbed or raped. She spends her 3 days laying around her parents house watching television and waiting to go back to work. I got a very strong feeling that from her that women still are not treated very well in PNG.

The resort as a whole was nice. It was simple, clean and the staff was very friendly. The food was plentiful and the beer cold. PNG only has one brewery, so for 3 weeks I drank nothing but SP Brown Lager. I have to admit that I was glad to get home and have a decent ale, but I digress as usual. We went there to dive, so I’ll get on with it.

The diving was relaxed. Paula and I were the only guests there who were actually diving, but they didn’t skimp on the dive sites. I was a little surprised the first day when I noticed our dive master, Franco, putting on a Mares 6.5mm semi-dry suit. It turns out that Loloata sits on the Coral Sea and the currents run up from Australia, causing cooler water temperatures than over in Bismarck Sea area. Water temps were about 77 degrees and I was glad that I brought along my 3/2 full suit and 3 mil cheater vest.

Even though we were only scheduled to do 2 tank morning dives, Franco, offered to run the boat for an afternoon dive as well. Pretty amazing since he charged us $36.00 Kina total (about $15.00 US) for the extra dives. I hope it covered the petrol, but I have my doubts. It was just sort of that place. They really wanted us to have a great time. A local Port Moresby resident and professional photographer, joined us for the dives on both days. He acted as an extra DM, doing dive briefings and finding critters for us. After watching me struggle with the focusing on my macro lens, he was nice enough to give me a few tips, which really helped. It took me a while to develop any proficiency at all, so the Loloata pictures are scarce. I really had hoped to get some quality shots of ornate ghost pipe fish, pygmy seahorses and lacy scorpionfish, but of course, now I have a reason to go back.

The only downside of the stay was that visibility was less than stellar. Some sites were 30-40 and others were 10-20. Diving in San Diego, I’ve seen plenty of poor visibility. It doesn’t bother me unless I’m diving with my diabetic wife who used this trip to suddenly become VERY comfortable underwater and wander away while I’ve got my face buried in my viewfinder. Shh…don’t tell her I’m blaming her for adding to my stress level please. It was very nice to see her gain so much comfort in the water. I think she’s more comfortable with her diving than I am with her diving now J. Of course this means I can start ramping up the warm water trips, so it’ll all work out.

Quick Facts:
Location: So close to the international airport that you just have to go there.

Water Temperature: 77 degrees in winter / 82-84 in summer

Nitrox: None

DM’s: Franco was great. I’m pretty sure he could find pygmy seahorses in his sleep. David, our unofficial DM provided detailed dive briefings and was a phenomenal critter finder in his own right. Both were friendly, helpful and exceptionally professional. Since it was just the 4 of us, I didn’t feel the need to be on my own, but they had no problem moving on while I shot pictures.

Food: All inclusive except for drinks. Breakfast cooked to order and continental. Lunch and Dinner buffet style.

Only a few rooms have air conditioning. If this is important to you, and it might be during the summer months, be sure to request one of those rooms.


Tomorrow - Star Dancer

[chinacat46]

What were the colors of the Lacy Scorpionfish?

[Travelnsj]

Nice report....I'll look forward to the Star Dancer report.

[Jenn]

Awesome sounds like you had a wonderful time. Nice report.

[thesmoothdome]

Originally Posted by chinacat46

What were the colors of the Lacy Scorpionfish?

Saw two while I was there. A green and black one, which I didn't get a shot of and this one

[chinacat46]

Thnx, the green & black is the more common colors. Now you need to go to Lembeh Strait and see the Paddleflap and the Weedy two other types of rhinopias.

[thesmoothdome]

It may be on the ticket for next year. More likely the year after.