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Milne Bay Research Cruises

M.V.Marlin 1, the ideal charter boat to conduct scientific research from.
Your Safety and Comfort is assured on an airconditioned live-a-board charter boat

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UNDERWATER.....We are fully equipped for scuba diving and supply tanks and weights.

ISLANDS and COASTAL LAND.....25hp RIB dingy to access shore and rivers.

Safe airconditioned accommodation, meals and cold drinks.

We can help you obtain your research visa if required.

Research charters completed.
Click for larger photograph
Collecting rock samples, D'Entrecasteaux Islands including Normanby, Dobu, Ferguson and Goodenough Islands.

Dr Tim Little measuring foliation.

Dobu Island venting underwater.

Examining a block of eclogite in granite.

Examining granite outcrop.

Climbing to examine folded gneiss.

Relaxing after a hard day ashore.

We chartered Marlin 1 in Jan 2003 as a "base camp" for our team of four geologists working in the D'Entrecasteaux Islands. Our research involved collecting rock samples to determine the geologic and tectonic evolution of the region. We needed to cover a lot of ground in a relatively short period of time. Wayne, Lee and the crew of marlin 1 got us where we needed to go, provided safe accommodation and delicious meals. As a result we were able to concentrate solely on accomplishing our research goals and had a very successful field season. I highly recommend using Marlin 1 for small research teams in need of efficient, reliable transport and accommodation while conducting research in Papua New Guinea. They have prior experience working with scientific research teams, have cruised the Milne Bay province extensively and have local knowledge of accessibility.
Dr. Suzanne Baldwin
Associate Professor
Department of Earth Sciences
Heroy Geology Laboratory
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
sbaldwin@mailbox.syr.edu

Collecting aquatic insects, Louisiade Archipelago.

Dan nets damselflies
above a rapid.

John catches water striders
in plunge pool.

Dan checks the fauna of rockholes.

John searches for velvet shore bugs on a seep,.

Dan cataloguing his insects.

Job completed!!

"Marlin 1was an excellent mobile base of operations for our biological research project in eastern New Guinea. Large enough to sleep six with comfort and allow onboard analysis of collections, yet compact enough to navigate twisting reef passages and narrow inlets, the vessel provided a perfect balance of comfort and practicality. Wayne was a thoroughly professional skipper who was always ready to explore new sites both on and offshore and more than willing to accommodate our special requests, while Lee served up wonderful meals though out the trip. As a research charter vessel, Marlin 1 is indeed hard to beat."
Dr. Dan A. Polhemus
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC
bugman@bishopmuseum.org

Collecting fresh water fishes, Louisiade Archipelago.

Gerry searching for Stenogobius gobies.

Collecting Hypselotris, a small fresh water Gudgeon.

Collecting mangrove fishes.

Setting up the tank.

Photographing
aboard Marlin 1.

Cling-goby
(Stiphodon atratus).

Marlin 1 served as an excellent working vessel for our 2002 survey of freshwater habitats in the D'Entrecasteaux and Louisiade islands. Wayne and Lee were very sympathetic to our special requirements and proved especially helpful in getting us to the places where we needed to work - usually remote streams that we accessed with a rubber dinghy. I highly recommend Marlin 1 for scientific survey work, particularly for small groups operating on a limited budget.
Dr. Gerald R. Allen
Western Australian Museum
Perth, Australia
tropical_reef@bigpond.com

Collecting sea sponge samples, Milne Bay area.

The team.

Sorting.

Sorting.

The samples.

Department of Defence
Salisbury
Australia

Hi Wayne and Lee
I said I'd provide some words for your visitors book so here they are.
Greg and I had a fabulous time on Marlin I as it travelled from Thursday Is to Port Douglas via the outer sections of the Reef. Greg and I work in the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), part of the Dept of Defence at Salisbury, just north of Adelaide. I helped develop at DSTO the Laser Airborne Depth Sounder which is currently installed in the RAN F27 (Fokker Friendship) which flies out of Cairns nearly every afternoon. It's flights are 7.5 hours long with the survey areas including Torres St, Fairway Channel, around Lizard Island and others. It uses a pulsed green laser to sound the bottom down to a limit of 50 m, but in turbid water it can be much less than that.

On Marlin I we were conducting measurements of the optical properties of the waters of the Reef. The instrument we deployed at 2 hourly intervals whilst on transit was a Wet Labs AC-9 nine-wavelength combined absorption and transmission meter. We were making the measurements for two reasons. The first is to see which wavelength (colour) would give the maximum laser depth penetration. (Currently a neodymium YAG laser is used which operates at 532 nm in the green-yellow. It is likely that a blue laser would give deeper penetration and the Nd:YAG laser can run at 473 nm which is a blue line). The other reason is to obtain data about the water which we can use in simulations of the depth bias which occurs with a laser system - which measures deeper by about 3% and has to be corrected. There is a Depth Bias Model which provides an estimate of the correction and we are currently trying to improve that model.

The meals that Lee prepared with fabulous and we had no thought of going down the street for the nearest restaurant. The afternoon drinks and snacks were very pleasant.It was so enjoyable that I hope sometime to return. (Even if it's to convince Wayne that earth tides of 30 cm occur every day as the moon passes over)!

With best wishes
Ralph Abbot
34 Brunswick St
WALKERVILLE SA 5081

Pricing and Payments
Private charter of M V Marlin 1 is AUD$2200 per day all inclusive.
(Email us for special quotes)
20% non-refundable deposit to confirm your charter with the balance due 30 days prior to departure.
Payment by Bank Transfer or Cash.
Our prices are in US dollars.

Home	Research	Scuba diving	Birdwatching	Adventure cruises	Marlin 1 details	Your crew
Newsletters	References	Getting to PNG	Hydrographic survey	FAQ's	Alotau Lodge	Picture gallery

Please email us...dive@marlin1charters.com.au...We would love to hear from you
(We are sorry but because of too much spam this is not an active link. Please copy and paste to your email.)
Boat satellite phone international... + 61 145 117098
From within Australia...0145 117098
Snail mail to P.O.Box 5, Alotau, MBP, Papua New Guinea