24-Sep-2003 -- Ruth and I work as missionaries in Papua New Guinea. On this occasion, we took a week of vacation on the MTS Discoverer boat (www.mtspng.com) from Madang in Madang Province, through the Trobriand Islands to Alotau in Milne Bay Province. Our final destination after the cruise was a week of ministry opportunity in the remote village of Wataluma on Goodenough Island in the Milne Bay Province.

We had just spent an enjoyable day and night at the island of Kitava in the Trobriand Islands on September 26, 2003. After visiting several villages there, we were entertained with a beach barbeque and young people dancing in traditional dress. By 4:00 am the next morning, our ship started travel toward the Amphlett Group of islands and a stop at the island and village of Nabwageta. Along the way, just at daybreak on September 27, we neared the confluence which is located about half way between the Trobs and Amphlett Group. Although the captain was cooperative, we were unable to reach the exact confluence spot because of reefs in the area. He had to maintain the ship through the narrow passage.

There are few landmarks at the confluence. Mostly open ocean broken by reefs just reaching the surface. No land mass is located nearby. In the distance to the southwest one can see the mountainous Amphlett Group of islands. The mountainous islands are in contrast to the low laying coral islands of the Trobs.

After many more adventures, we reached the end of the cruise at Alotau on September 29th and proceeded to Goodenough Island for a week before returning to our home in Kiunga, Western Province, PNG.

PNG is a wonderful nation with very interesting diversity in environment and in people (almost 800 separate tribes live here). It is an even more interesting place to live. It is with very mixed feelings for us to leave PNG to return to our home in America after 4 years here.

It is a privilege to be the first to record a confluence in PNG. Thanks to son, Todd, for putting us onto the confluence.org site.

Don and Ruth Slabaugh