Cairns To Port Moresby

[MatiasHyde]

Hello everyone!

My name is Matias, and I am preparing myself to cycle around the world to support and raise funds for the NGO LIBERA! (http://www.liberaong.org/), which specializes in the welfare and protection of wild animals in captivity. My expedition will start in Melbourne, Australia, in August 2010, and I will try to cycle all the way up to Madrid (where I am living at the moment), visiting Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, all South-East Asia, China, Middle-East and center-Europe on the way. As you can see, I will have to jump from island to island before reaching the asian continent, and the first issue is how to get from Cairns, to West Papua, in Indonesia. I first considered traveling by yatch from Cairns to Port Moresby, but I still haven't found any information on yatchs or boats traveling following that route.

So my question would be the following: ¿do you think it's possible for me to hitchhike between these two cities? My aim is to reach Indonesia, which is well communicated with the Philippines by ferries, hopefully visiting some other islands along the way, like PNG, the Solomon Islands, or even Palau on my way to Davao. ¿Where could I get information about this matter? I don't want to catch any planes if possible, for that would break the chain of trying to reach my final destination all by land or on the surface of the planet.

I am also aware that my bike and equipment can be an impediment for taking me as crew member of a yatch, buy it can be folded and be stored quite neately.

Any advice or help on the matter would be more that appreciated! All the best in your travels,

Matias

[redbopeep]

Hello Matias,

First, welcome to Cruiserlog. I hope the crewfinder forums can help you link up with a possible "ride." You can look at the postings for yachts looking for crew and see if something posted there might work for you. You can also place your own "crew looking for positions" ad with specifics of place and time that you're hoping to travel your particular route.

I did note that you'd posted this same appeal for information in three locations here on Cruiserlog. com and took the liberty of deleting the other two as they were all three identical. When you are ready to place a well defined ad, you can use the crewfinder more effectively.

You are correct that your bike is likely to be a problem for smaller vessels and thus you're more likely to find a spot on a larger boat. I'd suggest that you think about ways to "sell" the cruising yacht owner on having you aboard. That means your "crew looking for positions" posting should include information about your sailing or boating experience as well as any abilities that you have which will be helpful while you are aboard the yacht. Crew are expected to be able to contribute to the operation of the vessel upon which they've been offered a ride--this means cleaning, maintenance & repair, navigating, sailing, cooking, or any other activity required while underway. It can also mean a few days of work before or after a passage to get the boat in order or put the boat back in order after that passage.

If you have no sailing experience nor navigation experience and you plan on using recreational cruising yachts as a means of covering oceans, you might use some of your time between now and when your trip starts in August 2010 to prepare for that aspect of your trip--take sailing and navigation classes and volunteer to crew for anyone you may know with a boat. It will be helpful to you.

You are most likely to be able to catch a ride if you are very flexible with the ports you can meet the yacht in and if you realize that you may travel beyond your desired route on a sealeg. You may end up needing to be willing to backtrack or change your land travel plans a bit in order to use a recreational cruising yacht to cover water legs.

Good luck in your endeavors.

[MatiasHyde]

Hello Brenda and David!

Thank you very much for your answer. I would like to apologize for having posted on three different occasions, for I had no clue where my topic could fit. It won't happen again.

As I have no experience sailing, I will do as you suggest. I've got ten months ahead before I start the trip, so I'll try to learn as much as I can about navigation and sailing. I am also aware that I might end up cycling to other points in Australia to meet a yacht willing to give me a ride. But that shouldn't be a problem, for I am looking for adventure, and have no fixed plans. Just a route I'd like to follow.

Either way, I greatly appreciate your answer and opinion on the matter.

All the best,

Matias.

[JeanneP]

Hi, Matias.

You might want to inquire with the Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association in Darwin, Australia. They sponsor a race between Darwin and Ambon, Indonesia most years. Darwin Ambon race

Then you're headed to Indonesia directly. Darwin's a logical place to head for Indonesia. Cairns is logical for heading to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, which might not be an easy place to get to the western part of the island and access to Indonesian ferries or other points in Asian waters.

Sounds like a great adventure.

J

[MatiasHyde]

Originally Posted by JeanneP

Hi, Matias.

You might want to inquire with the Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association in Darwin, Australia. They sponsor a race between Darwin and Ambon, Indonesia most years. Darwin Ambon race

Then you're headed to Indonesia directly. Darwin's a logical place to head for Indonesia. Cairns is logical for heading to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, which might not be an easy place to get to the western part of the island and access to Indonesian ferries or other points in Asian waters.

Sounds like a great adventure.

J

Hello JeanneP!

Thank you very much for your recommendation, I have already checked the website out and it sounds like a very good idea, and fun! I will certainly have it as an option in case I don't find my way into PNG. I shall send some e-mails now to Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association to ask for some information about the yacht race.

All the best,

M