Discovering Purpose in Papua New Guinea and West Papua

Children from New Hanover Island, Papua New Guinea, enjoying a boat ride.

Papua New Guinea taught me more than just navigating remote, uncharted waters, it elevated my skills and experience as a captain to a new level. But more significantly, it set the tone for my purpose in life. Let me share a snippet of my adventures….

Village fisherman in New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

While relocating to the Philippines to build my dream sanctuary, I was frantically searching for work in Asia. I had walked away from a very lucrative career to pursue this path, and in hindsight, it’s what truly shaped me into a real captain not just a glorified bus driver.

I was in Italy when I got a call about a support vessel working in tandem with a mother ship. Letting go of my ego I ended up taking the position. It was the kind of work I’d always aspired to do. I left a 300ft opportunity behind and boarded the next flight to one of the most remote cruising locations on the planet… hello Papua New Guinea.

Exploring the river in Lae, Papua New Guinea, and interacting with the local communities.

We had just anchored off a small island. As per local custom I approached the local chief to pay my respects and ask for permission to anchor in their waters. While exploring the island with our helicopter pilot, we came across a 1968 hospital, abandoned by the Australians and left to rot.

Inside we found something both confronting and humbling…. a hospital still in use, despite having no lights or running water. Bloodstains marked the walls and yet this was a place where babies were born every month.

My advanced medical crew assisting villagers on New Hanover Island, Papua New Guinea.

We spoke with the chief offering flour, nails, fishing hooks and a bucket as a gesture of respect. He accepted our offering and showed us the hospital’s condition. None of us could walk away without trying to help.

We worked to repair the generator, but it was beyond saving. Solar panels were in place, but the batteries, lights and transformers were missing. The water tanks were riddled with holes and there were no pumps.

We asked the chief if the community could clean up the hospital while we sourced the necessary supplies. When we returned with pumps, pipes, lights, batteries and tanks, the look on their faces was unforgettable.

Revamping the old hospital on Duke of York Island, Papua New Guinea, brought immense satisfaction to our crew and the yacht owners.

The satisfaction and meaning we found in this effort were indescribable. When the yacht owner and his friends arrived, they were visibly moved. Donations began flowing in and we were encouraged to continue this work.

The most rewarding part… was spending time with the children in these communities. Seeing them sitting on the back of the boat, washing their hair with shampoo it touched my heart in ways that words can’t fully explain. One night we set up a screen and played Moana. The kids sat in dugout canoes, wide eyed with wonder. Those moments left an unforgettable mark on me.

Being welcomed by the children on Busu River is located in the Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea, near Wagang, Lae.

These experiences changed my outlook. Now wherever I go, I wonder how I can contribute whether it’s through a beach clean up, raising awareness or assisting with infrastructure projects.

This experience also brought me to discover Raja Ampat in West Papua, renowned as the pinnacle of diving with the world's best diving sites.

My love of adventure and the pursuit of the unknown led me down this path of giving back and paying it forward. That’s where my focus lies now.