On The "MV Sepik Spirit" in New Guinea
The surprisingly luxurious Sepik Spirit was constructed in 1989, and has a shallow draft to allow passage into the heart of the Sepik River through areas not accessible to larger vessels. It was recently refurbished in 2006 with a new interior and improved noise insulation. The Sepik Spirit only accommodates 18 passengers in twin bedrooms with private bathrooms and airconditioning. ...View image... It also had a dining room, lounge bar and covered upper observatory deck. It was built for river cruising along the Sepik River network including the Black Waters and Karawari.
Every day we would visit villages along the Sepik River in one of the Spirit's 18-seater riverboat. The riverboat was open, canopied, fast and comfortable. At first it was a big surprise how small the Sepik Spirit really was. We are accustomed to looking at 80,000+ton cruise ships but it was very nice.
After settling in and meeting our fellow passengers (Americans, English, and Germans), we set course from Timbunke towards the Blackwater River Area, named because the water of the river appears black. The cruise into the Blackwate River area can only be done when seasonal conditions are right which they were on this departure. The Cruise Director gave a briefing on the vessel, meal times, the daily routine, laundry and shoes... Because our village excursions included getting on and off the riverboat via muddy river banks, all shoes worn on day trips had to be left on the outside deck... no exceptions!
Each traditional village had its own spirit house "haus Tambaran", a unique style, and every villager is an artisan with their handicraft for sale. This would be one of the most unusual trips we'd ever taken...
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