Duke of York Islands, Papua New Guinea

Duke of York Islands, Papua New Guinea, photograph # 1 — they are a small group of wooded islands located in the center of St. George’s Channel that separates the provincial islands of New Britain and New Ireland and form part of the Bismarck Archipelago

The Duke of York Islands are a small group of wooded islands located in the center of St. George’s Channel that separates the provincial islands of New Britain and New Ireland and form part of the Bismarck Archipelago.  The islands were named in 1767 by British navigator Philip Carteret to honor Prince Edward, son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and younger brother of King George III of Great Britain.  The Duke of York Islands consist of a total of 13 islands.  They lie “in an active seismic zone, where two tectonic plates push upon each other.  Earthquakes and tsunamis are not uncommon for inhabitants of the islands.  The islands are low-lying and are threatened with inundation due to rising sea levels.  On 28 November 2000 the evacuation and resettlement of one thousand inhabitants [from the main island, Duke of York Island] to New Britain was announced.” — Wikipedia

We visited one of the uninhabited islands and set up Zodiac boats to use as “platforms” for snorkeling above the coral reefs.  

Duke of York Islands, Papua New Guinea, photograph # 2 — on the waters adjacent to one of the uninhabited islands, Zodiac boats were positioned to use as “platforms” for snorkeling above the coral reefs

Duke of York Islands, Papua New Guinea, photograph # 3 – other islands in the small group of wooded islands

Duke of York Islands, Papua New Guinea, photograph # 4 – the center peak/caldera provides good evidence of active volcanic activity in the group of islands

Duke of York Islands, Papua New Guinea, photograph # 5 — a magnificent sky above the caldera

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