@davidbannon.bsky.social
Australian, I use this to show some photos of trips we do. Don't expect good photography, just some pretty pictures.
Albo in the US ? It seems to me, after the letter we, Australians, received, Albo should find himself too busy to visit the Whitehouse. Anything less is denying Australian independance.
#AusPol
#AusPol
September 21, 2025 at 5:02 AM
Albo in the US ? It seems to me, after the letter we, Australians, received, Albo should find himself too busy to visit the Whitehouse. Anything less is denying Australian independance.
#AusPol
#AusPol
OK, we left Indonesian waters late Saturday, steam, on dead flat seas, all day Sunday, will disembark early Monday morning. Been a great trip, meet many great people, saw so many incredible sights. Coral Expeditions, you rock !
April 6, 2025 at 5:54 AM
OK, we left Indonesian waters late Saturday, steam, on dead flat seas, all day Sunday, will disembark early Monday morning. Been a great trip, meet many great people, saw so many incredible sights. Coral Expeditions, you rock !
Still Saturday at Desa Tumbur. Walk around village with local guides, they seem a very happy bunch, very keen to shows us how they live. Sadly, arguably the worse litter problem we have seen. Catholic church magnificent, homes clean and sound. Chooks, cattle graze in common land around village.
April 6, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Still Saturday at Desa Tumbur. Walk around village with local guides, they seem a very happy bunch, very keen to shows us how they live. Sadly, arguably the worse litter problem we have seen. Catholic church magnificent, homes clean and sound. Chooks, cattle graze in common land around village.
We were chosen to represent the ships company at the welcoming ceremony. Small (!) sip of a very strong spirit distilled from coconut juice, poured from an old Coca-Cola bottle. Hand woven scarves and very sincere speech by village elder. Note the mark on our foreheads, we all come from the soil.
April 6, 2025 at 5:30 AM
We were chosen to represent the ships company at the welcoming ceremony. Small (!) sip of a very strong spirit distilled from coconut juice, poured from an old Coca-Cola bottle. Hand woven scarves and very sincere speech by village elder. Note the mark on our foreheads, we all come from the soil.
Saturday, 5th April. Land at Palau Yamdena, more bueatiful wooden boats, dry landing. Onto buses to Desa Tumbur, 40 minute ride to Desa Tumbur. Informative guide, insight to bigger town living. Narrow windy road into village off good highway.
April 6, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Saturday, 5th April. Land at Palau Yamdena, more bueatiful wooden boats, dry landing. Onto buses to Desa Tumbur, 40 minute ride to Desa Tumbur. Informative guide, insight to bigger town living. Narrow windy road into village off good highway.
Friday morning, early. Up for a walk along the edge if Palau Banda Besar, perhaps a residential "suburb" to the main town. More conservative here, ladies need to cover up a bit. Nice walk until rain came down, heavily. Again, locals lovely, even came out and helped with slippery path. Thanks !
April 5, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Friday morning, early. Up for a walk along the edge if Palau Banda Besar, perhaps a residential "suburb" to the main town. More conservative here, ladies need to cover up a bit. Nice walk until rain came down, heavily. Again, locals lovely, even came out and helped with slippery path. Thanks !
Thursday Evening, drinks at Fort Belgica. Live Music, great fun, weather holding. And, surprisingly, some good old fashioned rock n roll.
April 4, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Thursday Evening, drinks at Fort Belgica. Live Music, great fun, weather holding. And, surprisingly, some good old fashioned rock n roll.
Thursday PM. A musical welcome, brass "bells". A quick tour of the small town of Banda Neira itself. Narrow streets very friendly people, museum with a lot of emphasis on the massacre story. Ended up at the Cilu Bintang hotel, a grand old hotel indeed.
April 4, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Thursday PM. A musical welcome, brass "bells". A quick tour of the small town of Banda Neira itself. Narrow streets very friendly people, museum with a lot of emphasis on the massacre story. Ended up at the Cilu Bintang hotel, a grand old hotel indeed.
Thursday Then an early morning snorkel along the edge of a (geological) recent lava flow. Nothing but black rocks above the water level, beautiful coral below. Profusion of fish in the shallow water.
April 4, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Thursday Then an early morning snorkel along the edge of a (geological) recent lava flow. Nothing but black rocks above the water level, beautiful coral below. Profusion of fish in the shallow water.
Thursday (3rd April) we arrived early in the morning to be greeted by two war canoes who raced our ship into the volcanic caldera that forms the very remote Banda Neira group of islands. Truly beautiful. And the original source of the nutmeg the Dutch were so willing to kill for.
April 4, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Thursday (3rd April) we arrived early in the morning to be greeted by two war canoes who raced our ship into the volcanic caldera that forms the very remote Banda Neira group of islands. Truly beautiful. And the original source of the nutmeg the Dutch were so willing to kill for.
I stood reading the story of a terrible massacre by the Dutch East Indies Co. along side a young Indonesian man, we were both affected by what we read, turned to each our and shook hands. No words to exchange but a lot of understanding.
April 4, 2025 at 1:54 AM
I stood reading the story of a terrible massacre by the Dutch East Indies Co. along side a young Indonesian man, we were both affected by what we read, turned to each our and shook hands. No words to exchange but a lot of understanding.
Wednesday . We were escorted to the huge Dutch Duurstede fort that dominates this village. While a magnificent structure, this place has a dark history.
April 4, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Wednesday . We were escorted to the huge Dutch Duurstede fort that dominates this village. While a magnificent structure, this place has a dark history.
Wednesday - After sailing all night and bit of morning, a warm welcome from the people of Saparua.Firstly a choir of younger kids then you adults dancing. Then the spirited Cakalele war dance with machetes swirling everywhere.
April 4, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Wednesday - After sailing all night and bit of morning, a warm welcome from the people of Saparua.Firstly a choir of younger kids then you adults dancing. Then the spirited Cakalele war dance with machetes swirling everywhere.
Tuesday April Fools Day. At sea, engine room tour for David, Bridge tour for Liz. Some serious hardware !
April 4, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Tuesday April Fools Day. At sea, engine room tour for David, Bridge tour for Liz. Some serious hardware !
Monday, Palau Besar, snorkeling in the morning, visit village of Sawai in the afternoon. But afternoon event changed when word received that Sawai was in a vigorous argument with another near by village.
Instead, to a not too far away resort, possibly abandoned or being renovated. I snorkeled.
Instead, to a not too far away resort, possibly abandoned or being renovated. I snorkeled.
April 2, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Monday, Palau Besar, snorkeling in the morning, visit village of Sawai in the afternoon. But afternoon event changed when word received that Sawai was in a vigorous argument with another near by village.
Instead, to a not too far away resort, possibly abandoned or being renovated. I snorkeled.
Instead, to a not too far away resort, possibly abandoned or being renovated. I snorkeled.
Sunday, day at sea, Sorong to Palua Besar. Sailed through a channel between two large islands, very steep mountains down to the sea. As we left that channel, an orca swam past on the Port side, apparently showing off. Fabulous.
April 2, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Sunday, day at sea, Sorong to Palua Besar. Sailed through a channel between two large islands, very steep mountains down to the sea. As we left that channel, an orca swam past on the Port side, apparently showing off. Fabulous.
Saturday, pm. Visit to Sorong township, initially we planned to stay on board but Liz triggered a Batik shopping spree. I now have a nice new shirt, she a lovely wrap around skirt. Interesting passage in and out of the port, wooden boats everywhere !
March 30, 2025 at 6:26 AM
Saturday, pm. Visit to Sorong township, initially we planned to stay on board but Liz triggered a Batik shopping spree. I now have a nice new shirt, she a lovely wrap around skirt. Interesting passage in and out of the port, wooden boats everywhere !
Saturday, snorkelling at Palau Yefman. About six Km from where our Ship is still moored near Sorong. Spares arrive early tomorrow. Good snorkelling, Liz did the beach combing thing. This island once provided Sorong its only airport.
March 30, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Saturday, snorkelling at Palau Yefman. About six Km from where our Ship is still moored near Sorong. Spares arrive early tomorrow. Good snorkelling, Liz did the beach combing thing. This island once provided Sorong its only airport.
Friday, afternoon. Palau Tsiof. A larger island, bit further out, much smaller population, all Papuan, Christian. Very excited to have us visit, we walked between two villages with several adult locals and uncountable children. Basic housing but clean, some litter. Everyone seemed happy and healthy
March 28, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Friday, afternoon. Palau Tsiof. A larger island, bit further out, much smaller population, all Papuan, Christian. Very excited to have us visit, we walked between two villages with several adult locals and uncountable children. Basic housing but clean, some litter. Everyone seemed happy and healthy
Friday, anchored off Sorong, ship's drive being repaired while we visit nearby islands. Firstly the quaintly named "Palau Doom". Site of the original Sorong, a Dutch admin centre. Busy, many people but very friendly, especially the Papuan.
March 28, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Friday, anchored off Sorong, ship's drive being repaired while we visit nearby islands. Firstly the quaintly named "Palau Doom". Site of the original Sorong, a Dutch admin centre. Busy, many people but very friendly, especially the Papuan.
Still Thusday, bueatiful sunset, amazing to watch it set so quickly. Heading to Sorong tonight for some ship repairs. Specialist flying in from Singapore.
March 28, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Still Thusday, bueatiful sunset, amazing to watch it set so quickly. Heading to Sorong tonight for some ship repairs. Specialist flying in from Singapore.
Thursday, evening drinks from the beach we snorkelled from earlier.
March 27, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Thursday, evening drinks from the beach we snorkelled from earlier.
Thursday, Raja's Ampat, loose group of small, mostly uninhabited islands. Wow, got to be right up there as most beautiful places. We snorkelled morning and afternoon and it was unbelievable. Water clear, fish and coral in every imaginable colour.
March 27, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Thursday, Raja's Ampat, loose group of small, mostly uninhabited islands. Wow, got to be right up there as most beautiful places. We snorkelled morning and afternoon and it was unbelievable. Water clear, fish and coral in every imaginable colour.
Wednesday. OK, so weather not perfect, ship a bit slow due to drive issues. Bit of sea sickness around. But cruised to Raja Ampat, all night and all day.
March 27, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Wednesday. OK, so weather not perfect, ship a bit slow due to drive issues. Bit of sea sickness around. But cruised to Raja Ampat, all night and all day.
Palau Manin, great snorkelling, still flattish seas. Every coloured fish you can imagine.
March 25, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Palau Manin, great snorkelling, still flattish seas. Every coloured fish you can imagine.