As promisd in my first Post, I stated that we would confirm if the Project Site can be accessed by Road. The main Question in our minds the past week was would we be able to travel to Lassul Bay via Vehiclular transport or not? Initially we assumed that only travel by boat was the only possible route, because a road route that was used in the past was said to be have been deterioated and no more accessible by a vehicle. But during our first visit to Lassul Health Centre the Station Manager informed us that the Lassul Station truck travels via this road from Kokopo/Kerevat to Lassul Bay. So today we travelled to confirm this...
Read on to find out if we successfully reach Lassul by Vehicle or not. The following is a chronological report of our visit this morning sunday 01/11/2009...
0500 hrs - we departed the Kokopo GRA office for Lassul. We had agreed with the contractor that we would leave at 0500 Hrs. The Contractor did not show up on time as they had stated.
0700 hrs - we left for Lassul
GRA Workers /(l-r) rosland lakur - driver, johnson henry - soil technician, jason missian - trainee architect on industrial training with GRA (he is currently a 4th year student at Unitech)!
The road conditions just past Utmei Secondary School. The road is coronous and unsealed!
0900 hrs - we arrived at the Ramandu Junction. We called the Contractor on their mobile phone and they said they were at the Tokarongon Junction (approx 1 hour drive away from Ramandu Junction).
The Ramandu Junction...the road to the left goes to wara pukpuk/Lassul Bay, while the road to your right goes to the Klin wara BBQ Picnic area!
0930 hrs - we decided to cool off at the nearby klin wara picnic BBQ area
The Klin wara BBQ Picnic area is located at the Ramandu Plantation...
The Ramandu Beach area. This Beach was made popular by the local East New Britain Band "Offcuts" featuring Patti Doi. The song that made this beach popular has the same name as this beach!
The above two phtographs show the Expatriate Plantation Owner's machinery to construct roads and also his property buildings!
At the Klin Wara BBQ Picnic area. This place is one of the most beutiful recreational areas in the Baining Area. This Picnic Area gets it's name from the fact that the water is crystal clear. Klin wara means crystal clear water in the local Pidgin Language. Dont skinny dip in this swimming area...nothing is hidden underwater! lol..you can even see a money coin at the bottom!
The two current Unitech 4th Year Building Degree Students who are on a 1 year Industrial Training attachment with the GRA. Jason Missian front and Elias William back!
The banks of the swimming area are just like the poolside area of a hotel! In picture (L-R) GRA Assistant Principal Engineer Noel Kelly, Trainee Architect Elias William, Soil Technician Johnson Henry, Driver Rosland Lakur, GRA Community Liason Officer Elisha Wada, and GRA Trainee Architect Elliott Kadir!
Relaxing on the Klin Wara Poolside area! lol...!
After leaving Klin wara we visited the famous Ramandu Beach!
1030 hrs - back at Ramandu Junction
1100 hrs - left for Wara Pukpuk
Top shows the Wara Pukpuk Bridge. Below show the river. You cannot see nearly hundreds of people doing the laundry/washing clothes in this photo. Wara Pukpuk in the local Pidgin language means crocodile river. The name was given as this because of Crocodiles in the River??
1130 hrs - took the short cut to Lassul Bay via the Nakikus Konga Highway. Up steep hills and down and up continuously.
This road shortcut is not a highway but was just named that by the local Baining people after a Former Member of Parliament Mr Nakikus Konga. He built this road to allow access to his plantation at Lassul Bay! This shortcut road leads up high mountains and drops down steeply to the Lassul Bay Area. The Road is very rugged and will leave you with a sore backside!..lol..
Along the way you find plenty of copra drying sheds and cocoa fermintries!
The long road will make you tierd...GRA Community Liason Offiser Mr Elisha Wada!...Asleep.
You'll also fina many village houses with huge Taro Gardens along this road!
As we near the Project Site, the Bay is visible by us high up in the mountains!
The existing road!
This photo was taken at the Lassul Area Lookout point. A small island in the background can be seen and is known as Pekato Island! This Island is at the entrance to the Lassul Bay!
1230 hrs - sucessfully arive at Lassul Bay and the Health Center Project site.
The Contractor in their Toyota Landcruiser at the Lassul Health Centre Project Site!
The GRA vehicle at the NGIP Agmark Cocoa Buying Point, Lassul Bay!
It is confirmed that the Project Site can be accessed by the existing road with a vehicle direct from Kokopo. It takes about 3 hrs travel time and is alot more cheaper than travelling by sea.
The Road conditions are not that good, as the road has a lot of rocks and the ride is rough! But it is more practical than travelling by boat from Lungalunga in the North Coast Area to Lassul Bay.
From this trip I collected usefull data to assist in running costs for thr GRA...
Total distance Kokokopo to Lassul (one way) = 100 km
Total travelling time (one way) = 3.5 hours
Total fuel consumption (to Lassul Project Site and back Kokopo = 1/4 of a full tank of diesel
We got the information we were looking for and also had the opportunity to visit a very beutiful picnic bbq area in the baining area.
The next post will inform on the consstruction works progress...
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