Bwagaoia Harbour

Highlights

• Provisions, fuel and cash top-up
• Waterfront walk from the fuel depot to the rocky point at the entrance
• Ride round the island to see villages

The guide

Position

10°41.21'S 152°50.75'E

Depth

4–10 m

Wind shelter

good in N, NE, E, W, NW; rolly in SE, S

Shelter

Reef breaks the sea but a short chop and small swell roll in with strong S-SE; big swells outside the entrance after strong SW-E.

Getting in

Straightforward by day. Depths jump from hundreds of metres to 10 m within ~100 m of the entrance. Lit beacon (Fl W 5s) on the starboard side entering, unlit one to port, both on the reef edges. Leave room for trading boats at the wharves - their anchor lines run out into the bay. Deep keels stop south of the wreck on the east side; it shoals quickly beyond. Small harbour: room for only a few to swing - stern anchor if busy. Airstrip borders the west side.

Bottom

thick mud (plastic debris can foul the anchor)

Holding

good

Ashore

Fuel depot on the waterfront (diesel, petrol, two-stroke "Zoom" - expensive), several trade stores, bakery, Westpac branch (local accounts/forex - don't count on cards), hospital (nurses/health extension officer, no doctor; antibiotics), police, post office, market, guesthouse that does meals, a liquor store. Flights to Alotau/Port Moresby. Gold buyers in town. Cars can sometimes be hired by asking around. Annual "Showcase Misima" cultural festival (around rally time, Sep/Oct).

Water

Tap/well water reported as washing-quality; treat or use your own.

Fuel

Fuel depot on the waterfront - diesel, petrol and two-stroke. Expensive and sometimes limited (2011-2016 reports).

Officials

Not a regular clearance port, but the health/quarantine officer has issued a quarantine certificate here (K50, 2016) and in rally years Customs flew in. Check current rules before relying on it - clear at Alotau.

Cautions

Thefts from yachts reported - lock up and don't leave the boat open. In 2016 an armed gang from Alotau raided the shops. Harbour water is dirty (sewage) and crocodiles are possible - not a swimming spot. In a 2010 squall (45 kn) many rafted rally boats dragged - set the anchor well and keep scope.

Cyclone season

The US Sailing Directions list a red cyclone mooring buoy in the harbour (a white buoy marks its anchor) - date not given, so ask at the wharf whether it is still there and maintained. The harbour is a narrow inlet (entrance under ~90 m) with mangroves on the north side; local boats lie stern-to the trees on the west side. Swell still rolls in with strong S-SE. A possible refuge, not a proven hurricane hole.

Our sketch map

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

More in the Misima