Duke of York Islands

The Duke of York group lies in St George's Channel between New Britain and New Ireland, a dozen or so low coral islands with white beaches, coconut and villages, the largest being Duke of York itself with Mioko and Kerawara among the others. The reefs around them are the reason divers and snorkellers come, with coral, walls and clear water, and the passage between the larger islands carries current and pelagic fish. Missionaries established themselves here in the 1870s and the islands have a long mission history. Villages receive visitors and a few offer accommodation. Boats run from Kokopo and Rabaul across a channel that can be rough.

History

Philip Carteret named the islands in 1767 after Prince Edward, younger brother of George III; under German rule they were called Neulauenburg. Agents of the trading firm J. C. Godeffroy & Sohn reached the Bismarck Archipelago in 1872 and had a trading post on the islands from 1876 (Wikipedia, Duke of York Islands).

The landscape

• The coral islands - the low islands with their beaches and coconut.
• Reef diving and snorkelling - the walls and coral around the group.
• Village life - the communities on the larger islands.
• The channel crossing - the run across St George's Channel.

When to go

May to October for the calmest crossings and clearest water; the northwest season brings rougher conditions. Day trips are arranged in Kokopo or Rabaul. Village stays need arranging in advance.

Practical notes

Crossings are by small boat and depend on sea conditions, which change quickly in the channel. Accommodation is village lodging with no facilities. Supplies should be carried. Trips are arranged informally.

Nearby

Kokopo lies southwest; New Ireland is across the channel.

Key facts