Propertee64
Originally Posted by
propertee64
Mr Billings, your website certainly gives a tremendous amount of very interesting detail, and to a degree not seen elsewhere in many respects. Everything you say seems reasonable so I'm amazed that it hasn't generated more interest ( and financial backing ) from the USA especially bearing in mind the history of this flight and the questions it raised. What is your financial target for the next visit to ENB?
At this moment I am doubting whether we can make it again this year. Last year we took an American Party in who funded the trip but they could only be there for a max of six (6) days. We were ten people last year. The logging tracks down through the rain forest of the Gazelle Peninsular from KOKOPO to Wide Bay have been linked and 4WD is possible but there are three rivers to cross which are fordable if the rain stays away. We studied SAT views and deemed it possible to get down there by 4WD's and that brought the cost back from around US$19,500 for helicopter transport for ten to US$8000 for the hire of three Toyota Hilux 4WD's, of which about US$3000 was refundable..
The measured 160 Kms took seven hours, not the four hours we anticipated and the potholed roads through the urban areas were worse than the logging tracks. The last river ford was quite dangerous. The MEVELO River runs quite fast at the ford even when not in flood. There is a Palm Oil Plantation on the north side of this river and that Company had started to build a bridge over the river using shipping containers ballasted with rocks as the supports, about seven or eight containers. From the SAT views we could see that one span remained to be completed but without that bridge there was an alternate track leading to the site though the Mumus River and through the Yarras River Valley. So all seemed O.K.
The alternate track was blocked by growth and when we arrived at the Mevelo the bridge had been broken by the force of the river in flood but a Toyota Landcruiser TC had just been through the ford so the Hiluxes would not have a problem but the river was up over the wheel arches. That now meant that if it rained heavily the river would be up further. The first night there was a three hour long thunderstorm, the longest I have ever encountered while in there. The inside of the tent was lit up by every flash….
So, we had to watch the river on a daily basis and eventually it was decided that as it was imperative that we get back over the river before it did flood we decided to pull stumps and return to Kokopo after four days.
That means we cannot use vehicles again until a bridge is built and we are now back to using a helicopter. We even tried boats for about five trips but the rough seas are quite dangerous. We will not use boats again unless it is a cruise liner.
There is also not much point in going unless the LiDAR Survey can be done and the data processed.
The Lidar Survey will cost in the region of US$25,000 if done from Australia which means an aircraft flying up and doing the maximum time of a 30-minute scan and then flying back.
It costs roughly US$4000+ per person each trip which include a hotel going in and out. My Team is five so US20,000+ for that.
All up then with the Helicopter, Airfares, Hotels, Gear and Rations my Team of five costs around US$55,000 with LiDAR, 5-Team Costs and 4.5 Hours of Helicopter time.
Exciting stuff !