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Bagaman NW bay - Chief Noah's village

Anchorage · Central Calvados · Louisiade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea
Open Bagaman NW bay - Chief Noah's village in the interactive map

Highlights

Stories from our visits

Chief Noah told us how, as a boy on Moturina, people found a dugong stranded at low tide. He could still describe how sweet the meat was. As we talked, a dugong surfaced off the beach - they don't eat them here any more - and Ryan swam with it, his first ever (29 Oct 2023).

Noah looked like he could cry when we said we were leaving. We'd have stayed longer in this peaceful little village.

The guide

Position
11°07.89'S 152°40.33'E
Depth
5 m
Wind shelter
good in NE, E, SE
Our visit
28-29 Oct 2023 (diary; the 'Motorina & Bagaman' episode). Patrick met us on the beach at sunset; we swam with the dugong next morning, then moved round to the carvers' bay (Oisi).
Shelter
Good in 15-20 kn NE-SE with a slight swell; uncomfortable over 20 kn.
Bottom
sand and coral
Ashore
"Very quiet village who barely ever get yachties visiting." Lots of pigs on the beach. Plenty of crayfish (older reports). The carvers live round in the NE bay (Oisi).
Anchoring (us)
A deep spot: we had a rough night with gusts from every direction and current ripping through the channel on full-moon springs (Oct 2023).
Ashore (us)
A quiet, kind village (Patrick and Chief Noah). A dugong feeds off the beach; they don't hunt it any more, and we swam with it.
People
Chief Noah and his nephew Patrick - really lovely (us, 2023)

Our sketch map

Sketch map of Bagaman NW bay - Chief Noah's village

Drawn by us from OpenStreetMap, Sentinel-2 and our GPS. Not for navigation.

More in the Central Calvados

Bagaman NE bay - Oisi village (the carvers)Bagaman south bayBagaman - anchorage 4 (east)Bobo EinaHoba Bay, Pana NumaraPana Numara village - bagi makers (NE side)Blue Lagoon (Madnewan / Leiga lagoon)Gigila Island (Kuwanak village)Robinson's Anchorage, KunawakPana Wina - Pastor Paskel's village (west)Pana Wina north-side creek - CYCLONE HOLEPana Wina - Pana Bali (south side)Pana Wina - SW / river mouthHemenahei IslandSabara (Sabari) lagoonSabra NorthKimuta Island (Renard Islands)Baiwa islet (Renard Islands)Siwai Wa passage (west side)Chibudi PassDuna Labwa PassagePassage east of Wuri Wuri (no name)

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Sources: OnceUponAReef 2023
This guide is a set of personal cruising notes shared in good faith. Information can be out of date or wrong, and positions can be out by hundreds of metres. It is not a substitute for official charts and notices, your own eyes, local knowledge, or professional medical, legal or customs advice. You use it at your own risk: the skipper alone is responsible for the safety of the vessel and everyone on board, and the authors accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage arising from its use.