Operation Wallacea
INDONESIA 2007
Pre-departure Pack

Please Note—this information has been prepared in February 2007 and may change before the expeditions actually start.
Before you leave, please check the website (www.opwall.com) for updates, particularly for the latest contact telephone numbers, and details of staff and research projects.

Operation Wallacea
P.O. Box 243,
Pickering, Ontario
L1V 2R4
Tel: +1 (647) 212-1950
E-mail: Canada@opwall.com
www.opwall.com

Table of Contents

Introduction 3
Before you go 4
Health & Safety 8
On Arrival in Kendari 11
Facilities at each of the sites 13
Clothing and equipment - forest sites 17
Clothing and equipment - marine sites 20
Communications 22
Countdown to leaving—checklist 23
Documents to bring with you 23

Introduction

Dear Volunteer
This booklet, in conjunction with the information on our web site (www.opwall.com), should provide you with all the pre-departure information you require to be sufficiently prepared, both mentally and physically, for your expedition with Operation Wallacea this summer.
We urge you to check our web site now, and also just before you go, for the most up-to-date information.
Please take this booklet with you as there are specific pages available to enter personal information such as flight numbers, passport details, etc that may be useful in an emergency, should one arise. Please print other useful pages from our web site just before you go and take these with you also.
If you have any further queries, please don’t hesitate to email us at Canada@opwall.com or call us on +1 (647) 212-1950.
Thank you
The Operation Wallacea Team

Before you go

Flights
You should have booked your flights to Jakarta or Bali by now with the main airlines (arriving the Wednesday before your expedition start date) and be in the process of booking your internal flights to Kendari—if not please contact Acho at opwall@losari-tours.com who will organize your flights to Kendari and your overnight hotel. You must be at the Qubra Hotel on the Thursday of your expedition start date by 5.30am, and can depart from the Qubra on the Friday morning after your expedition end date. If you arrive or depart either side of the official expedition dates or need accommodation en route, you will need to make and pay for your own accommodation arrangements and also arrange transport to and from the airport (see arrival and departure section for details).
Visas—Indonesia
Citizens of most nationalities will need a visa to enter Indonesia. There are two types of visa that apply to the vast majority of people joining an Operation Wallacea expedition. If you are in Indonesia for thirty days or less you can get a visa on arrival. These are currently priced at US$25 or the equivalent in Rupiah and are purchased at the airport when you arrive. If you are in Indonesia for between thirty one and sixty days you will need to get a visa before you arrive into Indonesia. You should ensure that you are not in the country for more than sixty days as this has serious visa implications. If you think you need to be in the country for more than sixty days you should contact us at Canada@opwall.com immediately. When calculating the length of your time in Indonesia you should count the day you arrive as day number one.
Passport
Your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of travel
It must also be machine-readable
You need to carry a photocopy of your passport, as it is much easier to then organize a replacement if your passport is lost
A photocopy of your passport can act as an official ID in Indonesia

Drug Abuse
The penalty for narcotics trafficking is a FINE AND IMPRISONMENT. DO NOT under any circumstances indulge.
Insurance
We strongly advise that you take out adequate travel insurance. School Voyageurs in Toronto offer a good policy (see insurance section later on). We need to have documentary proof on record before the start of the expedition that you have at least CAD$2 million worth of evacuation and medical cover costs and that the activities covered include diving to at least 18m.
We also need to be sent the following information:
the insurance company name
the insurance policy number
the 24-hour emergency telephone number (of the insurance company)
We have excellent evacuation and emergency response procedures in place, so that if there is an emergency onsite, we can swiftly make contact with your insurers, and transport a patient to suitable medical facilities. It would then be your responsibility to submit the claim to the insurance company and ensure that any costs for the evacuation and medical treatment paid out by Operation Wallacea or other organisations in the field were repaid.
You would have already had the opportunity to purchase the comprehensive insurance policy offered by School Voyageurs at the time you made your booking, but you are still able to purchase travel medical insurance at this time. You can contact the Operation Wallacea representative at School Voyageurs at opwall@newdimtours.com or +1 (800) 267-6425 ext. 363, quoting Operation Wallacea.
If you choose to insure yourself with an insurance company other than School Voyageurs, please forward a copy of the insurance policy to the Operation Wallacea Office.

Money
You will need enough spending money (in Rupiah) to cover personal on-site expenditure i.e. phone calls, dive equipment hire etc. Depending upon your location and how much you want to spend on extra dive training, at the bar etc, this could range from the Rupiah equivalent of CAD$25 to $250per week. Credit cards will be accepted at the Hoga research centre to settle accounts for additional dive courses and other such unplanned expenditure, though bring enough cash to cover your dive equipment hire. Payments for your internal flights and hotel can be made to Acho in Kendari by credit card. Your opportunities for visiting ATMs will be limited so you should bring most of the money you will need in Rupiah from the UK
Foreign currencies such as Canadian or US dollars are not widely accepted and there are no money changing facilities in Kendari or Bau Bau. For this reason we do not recommend you bring foreign currency with you apart from US$25 dollars for a visa on arrival if you are in Indonesia for thirty days or less.
If you are spending time in Jakarta or Bali on the way to site then it may be easier to get money this way. There are ATMs at the airports in Jakarta, Bali, and Makassar, and this is by far the easiest way to get local money. There is an ATM in Bau Bau but this is unreliable and you will only have access to this on your way to and on your way back to Kendari. You must withdraw all the money you will need before going to your field site. We advise against bringing travellers cheques or other currencies, as these are not commonly accepted. Please note that ATM's will dispense a maximum of Rp.2,500,000 per day.
Once you arrive in Kendari you may not get another chance to visit an ATM or money changer so please make sure you have all the money you need for your expedition before arriving in Kendari.
Remember to carry all personal documents and cash safely in a concealed money-belt.

Baggage
Baggage allowances for all airlines is one piece of luggage up to 20kg and one small bag (around 6-7kg maximum) as hand luggage. For full details please refer to your flight ticket, and contact the airline for up-to-date information.
It is a wise precaution to bring a change of clothes in your hand luggage, and to wear your walking boots on the plane, just in case one of your luggage bags is delayed en-route. Also you should make a description of each of your bags and their contents before checking in as well as ensuring there are loads of identifying labels all over them, and inside them. Remember to pack any important medication (eg. anti-malarials) in your hand luggage.
Provision of information
You have been given various forms to complete, asking for information on health concerns, dietary issues, etc. Please complete these and send them in to the Operation Wallacea office by no later than March 30th, 2007.

Health and Safety
Risk is inherent in everything that we do in life. Without accepting and understanding these risks, we would not be able to do anything at all. The first concern of all activities undertaken as part of Operation Wallacea expeditions is to gain an understanding of the environments we will be working in, and from this to reduce risk to health and safety as far as is possible
A copy of the Health & Safety procedures and the risk assessments for each of the sites and activities are available on the Operation Wallacea web site (www.opwall.com). On arrival at each of the field sites you will be briefed about the risks and how to reduce them and trained in the various safety procedures in position. There are medical staff at each of the sites and evacuation facilities in place at all sites for evacuation to good quality hospitals or other medical facilities. Data from previous Operation Wallacea expeditions on accidents or illnesses to staff and volunteers have shown that the level of risk is far lower than participating in many other regular activities (see www.opwall.com for details). However, expeditions are adventurous in their nature and there is an element of risk so if you don’t follow the strict safety procedures enforced by the Operation Wallacea staff, then you will be asked to leave the expeditions. We can only maintain these high safety standards if all participants follow the safety procedures.
Medical and dive training information
Obtaining medical and insurance information about each of the volunteers on the expedition is an important part of the safety procedures. All volunteers must complete the standard Operation Wallacea medical form, and those who are diving must also complete the PADI medical questionnaire. If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions on the medical form then you must get your GP to complete section 2 of the form and sign it. If your doctor does not feel capable of assessing whether or not you are able to participate in the expedition then we can advise you on specialist doctors who could check your medical suitability for the expedition and complete section 2. The completed form

must be sent to Operation Wallacea before March 30th, 2007. We have an Expedition Medical Advisor who then checks whether there are any medical issues of major concern that have not been picked up.
Medical Kit
Although every expedition will have its own medical supplies, and medical teams on site, you MUST carry your own personal medical kit. This way you will be as self sufficient as possible, and able to treat minor scrapes and injuries yourself, which is vital when, for example, you are involved in a jungle training exercise.
The following are essential items:
Sun cream (SPF 30+)
Insect Repellent
Antihistamine tablets (Piriton/Piriteze) and antihistamine cream
Hydrocortisone cream
Paracetomol
Ibuprofen
Rehydration salts (Dioralyte/Electrolade)
Alcohol swabs/antiseptic wipes
Elastoplast - waterproof and fabric x 4, medium size (if allergic, use micropore)
Iodine liquid
Cotton wool or gauze
Blister plasters
Crepe Bandage and safety pins
You may also wish to consider taking the following:
Sea sickness tablets or aquastraps/seabands
Sterile gauze Non-adhesive dressing, medium size (Melonin)
Zinc oxide tape
Canestan pessaries (treatment of vaginal thrush if you are prone to this)
Ear drops (dive projects only)
If you need to take prescribed medicines whilst on expedition, please bring sufficient supplies to cover your stay. Always waterproof and clearly label drugs (with generic, rather than trade names). Occasionally there are restrictions on taking certain medicines in and out of the UK or Honduras. If you think this may be relevant to you, please contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (www.voyage.gc.ca/main/drugs/medication-en.asp).

Vaccinations
You must consult your GP or travel clinic for personal advice and up-to-date information. Operation Wallacea are not able to give official advice on inoculations. Some people are not able to have certain jabs, so blanket generalisations cannot be made. To allow sufficient time for all the necessary immunisations it is recommended that you consult your Doctor or travel clinic two months prior to departure.
We require you to be up-to-date with the following inoculations and to carry a record of such with you:
Tetanus
Typhoid
Hepatitis A & B
Diptheria
Polio
Rabies
Rabies (1ml) is necessary for all volunteers doing bat projects, without this vaccination you will not be able to handle the animals. We also recommend that volunteers doing any of the trapping/processing mammal or herpetofauna projects where mammals are often a by-catch, consult their physician regarding this vaccination. For other forest based volunteers it is recommended, though not essential, that you have the 0.1ml rabies vaccine.
Japanese B Encephalitis
Although we work in an area where Japanese B Encephalitis exists, our presence in high risk zones is very limited. We also work in the dry season thus reducing the risk further, so do not demand that volunteers are vaccinated against this. We would recommend that you speak to your GP or travel clinic about this. If you have any doubts, please browse the website of the Centre for Disease Control (search CDC).

Malaria
You will need to see your GP and start taking malaria prophylactics one week before departure. It is generally advised that you take Paludrine and Chloroquine though please consult your physician or pharmacist. Larium (mefloquine) is not recommended for S.E. Sulawesi. This is particularly important on the marine projects as you cannot dive if you take Larium, or have taken it in the previous 7 days. A recent report from physicians in the US suggests that the World Health Organisation has confirmed that strains of chloroquinone resistant malaria have appeared in Indonesia and US doctors are recommending 100mg Doxycycline, one time a day with the evening meal for the entire trip, plus 4 weeks upon return.
Polio
There is also some concern about localized, but persistent outbreaks of polio and are recommending a polio booster for all of us, regardless of previous immunization against the disease. Again, please consult your GP or travel clinic.
On Arrival In Kendari
Start and finish dates
The expeditions officially start in Kendari on Thursdays at 5.30 am and finish on Thursdays at 9pm. Operation Wallacea will be responsible for your food, accommodation, transport and safety for the whole of this time.
Arriving before the expedition starts
If you are arriving before the Thursday when the expedition officially starts then you are responsible for transport and overnight arrangements and for informing the Operation Wallacea office of where you will be staying.
The Qubra Hotel, a three star hotel in the centre of Kendari, is used by Operation Wallacea as the meeting point for all volunteers on the Thursday morning, which is the official start date of your expedition. We recommend that you stay at this basic but clean and comfortable hotel, though other hotels are available. The hotel can be booked through Losari tours: email opwall@Losari-tours.com.

Start day of the expedition
These are the planned movements to the start of your expedition, but the very nature of the type of expedition you are joining requires you to remain flexible to these arrangements.
From the Hotel Qubra you will be taken down to the harbour and transfer onto the jetboat to Bau Bau. The boat leaves at 7am and takes around five hours.
On arrival in Bau Bau you will have another short briefing and will complete some paperwork. Remember you will need copies of your passport and 6 passport sized photographs for this. If your first unit is to be in the forest you will leave for Labundo Bundo once the briefing has finished. The journey will take around three hours by minibus and you will arrive into the village late in the afternoon.
Those volunteers bound for Hoga or Buranga will have the afternoon free to explore Bau Bau. This charming little town is your last chance to get supplies, visit the (quite unreliable) ATM and buy luxuries like potato chips and ice cream.
The boat for Hoga leaves early evening and travels through the night arriving into Wanci early the next morning. This boat is a local ferry and as such may not be the most comfortable of rides but remember, you are on an expedition. Another boat will collect you in Wanci for the final leg of the journey. Don't worry this last boat should only take a couple of hours! You will arrive onto Hoga mid-morning after a long but exciting journey. Remember that it is the remote nature of the site that makes it so special...its a long journey but it’s well worth it!
Please note that Indonesia operates on what the locals call 'Jam Karet (rubber time)' and its highly irregular for any transport to leave on time! You will probably find that boats can be inexplicably delayed for a few hours or the Wanci ferry is two hours late setting off as it has been waiting for a man to turn up with a couple of chickens! This is just the way things work in Indonesia and you will soon get used to it.
After you leave Kendari you may not have access to your main bags until you arrive at the field site. For this reason you should make sure you have everything you need for the journey in your day bag. Please make sure to also put all your paperwork (passport photos, passport photocopies, etc.) in your day bag as it may be required.

Labundo Bundo Village and Research Centre
Volunteers working on forest research projects denoted IL will spend most of their evenings in Labundo Bundo, and will trek out into the forest early each morning. You will be staying in local houses and your meals will be taken in the village hall. Rooms tend to have two single beds in them, with a separate bathroom which is shared with the house owners. Most bathrooms are usually squat toilets and a "mandi" (which is a kind of shower where you scoop water from a tank and pour it over yourself - do not climb in the tank!). Most houses are lit with oil lamps, and the atmosphere is generally very relaxed and peaceful.
Operation Wallacea has converted a Forest Ranger post in Labundo Bundo into a large research lab, with a networked computer room. Laptops can be plugged into the network, and since computer time is limited it would be a great advantage to bring a laptop if you are a dissertation student. The lab is powered by a generator and there are facilities for battery charging.
Forest Node Camps
Those volunteers working on forest projects denoted IN will be joining teams that move between various node camps that we have set up in the forests. However every second week the teams return to the Labundo research centre for a few days.
The nodes from which the biological surveying will take place are distributed so as to give excellent geographical coverage across the forests, and to span habitats of differing disturbance levels. From these camps the survey teams will trek through the forests, accompanied by local guides, in order to complete the survey work.
Toilets will be earth closets inside enclosed private tented areas, and washing facilities will consist of the nearest river or waterfall. You will be staying in a tent or hammock with mosquito nets and rain flies, and there will be large communal areas where you can eat and socialise. The experience of living and working at these remote forest camps is one that few people forget, and the skills that you will develop, both in terms of surveying and forest living, will be invaluable.

Facilities on Site

Local Villages: Social Science Mobile Team
Volunteers joining social science projects on Buton (projects denoted IS) will join the teams that travel to visit each of the 22 villages around the edge of the Lambusango forest over the course of the season. Accommodation will typically be in these small villages in local housing, although the teams will also frequently return to Labundo Bundo.
You will be living and working in communities who are not accustomed to Westerners, and so the cultural learning process that you will experience will be unforgettable. The importance of cultural sensitivities cannot be over-emphasized here, and so we have prepared a basic guide to some of the important points. This guide can be found by following the "Information for Volunteers" link for the Indonesian expedition on the web.
Marine Research Sites
The research for the marine element of the Operation Wallacea expeditions is conducted in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, an area that was declared as a direct result of the research and subsequent lobbying from the Op Wall survey teams.
Our research base is on the tiny island of Hoga, and we also work on neighbouring Kaladupa, which is home to the village of Buranga and the offshore village of Sampela.
Hoga
All volunteers involved in dive training and marine research projects will be based on Hoga - most people's view of the perfect desert island. It is surrounded by long white sand beaches and turquoise seas, and you will be staying in wooden houses built on stilts.
The houses have beds with mosquito nets, and you are able to relax on your own private balcony in the evenings.
The bathrooms are separate and tend to have attap walls enclosing a squat toilet and mandi (your washing facilities).

Hoga boasts a fantastic research centre, equipped with a library of relevant books and papers, several study areas, and networked computers. You can plug your laptop into the network via PCMCIA slots.
The centre also has a large restaurant area where you will be served lunch and dinner, with breakfast being a self service buffet system. There is also a bar where you can buy soft drinks, beer and chocolate. Close to this main building is a lecture theatre with PowerPoint facilities.
There is a well equipped dive centre where you can rent dive equipment by the day if you wish (all equipment with the exception of wetsuits can be rented). If you have your own dive kit then there are lockable facilities in which to store it.
Buranga
Buranga is a small village on the island of Kaledupa, located a short boat ride from Hoga. Volunteers involved in social science or fisheries projects coded IK will be based in and around this village. There is a daily market, and as with all our sites in Indonesia, the exceptionally friendly reactions you will receive means that staying here provides volunteers an ideal opportunity to socialise with locals and practice their Indonesian.
There is a research centre in Buranga which, like that on Hoga, contains computer facilities, study areas, and a small library.
The accommodation in Buranga is very similar to that in Labundo - i.e. you will be staying in local housing, always within a few minutes walk of the research centre.

Sampela
Sampela is a Bajo village just off the east coast of Kaledupa. The Bajo people tend to build their settlements over the reef flats away from dry land, and Sampela is no exception to this: The houses are built on stilts, and if you are based here (as are volunteers involved in social science or fisheries projects coded IK will be) you will get around either via wooden walkways or dug-out canoes. The Bajo community has a strong sense of cultural identity, and the experience of staying here will be quite unique.
Accommodation on Sampela will be in one of two specially built houses, each housing around 6 people. There is a solar powered research centre with a small library and computer facilities. Volunteers bringing their own laptops would be advised to bring spare batteries to ensure they can work throughout the day, regardless of weather conditions. Meals are provided in a purpose built hut close to the research centre.
If you are going to Sampela, it is particularly important to familiarise yourself with some cultural expectations and guidelines. Following these can make all the difference to the Bajo's perceptions of the work that you will be doing, and of westerners in general.

Clothing and Equipment—Forest Sites

All equipment listed below is essential. Please follow these guidelines, but remember, you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune. It is always worth investigating the possibility of borrowing equipment from family and friends.
Hiking boots/Jungle boots
These are totally personal items. Make sure your boots have firm ankle support, a semi-flexible sole with good grips and dry relatively quickly. Jungle boots are favoured by staff as they are ideal for the wet conditions in which you are likely to be working. We do not recommend you buy top of the range heavy duty Gore-Tex walking boots specifically for this trip, as they don’t dry quickly. However you will need to make sure that the boots you bring won’t fall apart after 2 weeks! Also be careful to break new boots in before your expedition.
Rucksack
Please bring a 50 litre minimum pack. MEC and Karrimor are both good makes with adjustable back systems, though other makes also have this feature, providing a more comfortable fit. Many packs on the market today are not ‘rucksacks’ but ‘travelbags’ and there is a big difference. Rucksacks are built for wearing for longer periods, whereas travelbags are designed for carrying between bus stations and airports. Decide what you want not only for now, but for the future.
Day bag/Small rucksack.
Needed for your field work for carrying water, paper, pens, binoculars, digital voice recorder, cameras, etc.
Roll mat or Thermarest
Necessary for both warmth and comfort in the forest. Roll mats can be purchased cheaply, whereas Thermarests are more of an investment (be sure to buy a repair kit).
Sleeping Bag
It can get surprisingly cold at night, we recommend either a 2 or 3 season sleeping bag.
Water bottle/platypus etc.
A combination of leak-proof plastic bottles (total capacity 3 litres) is imperative. It would be useful to check that the bottle can take very hot water.

Strong Head Torch
The stronger Petzl head lamps come highly recommended. Please note that the LED and ‘mini petzl’ models are no good for spotlighting nocturnal wildlife such as snakes and amphibians, etc, but are excellent back-up torches. It is recommended that you bring a back up torch and enough spare batteries to cover the duration of your expedition.
Batteries
You may need spares for your torch and camera.
Teva type/reef sandals or flip-flops
These are a necessity. After a long day’s hiking you will want to let your feet breathe. The advantage of Tevas are that they stay on securely in water.
Waterproofs
Rainfall is unpredictable in this part of the world. If you have a Gore-Tex or Triple-Point jacket, bring it along, otherwise try and purchase a ‘breathable’ jacket that keeps the rain out, but also lets perspiration out!
Watch with alarm
It doesn’t have to be anything technical. A travel alarm clock will also do.
Biodegradable soap/shampoo/washing liquid
To minimise impact on the environment we ask all volunteers to bring ‘green’ detergents. Please bring personal soap such as ‘Lifestyles’ or ‘Mountain suds’ and 1 bottle of Ecover (or similar) clothes washing liquid.
Waterproof plastic bags
A combination of sizes and styles are necessary to keep water out of your kit and clothes. A large gravel sack or heavy duty bin liner will act as a rucksack liner (bring spares), and Ziploc (freezer) bags are brilliant for keeping your camera, and other bits of kit dry (bring plenty). There are some very heavy duty ‘dry bags’ on the market, as well as Aquapacs that are waterproof to 15 feet – the choice is yours.
Insect repellent
DEET based products (minimum 30% concentration of DEET) are regarded as the best, however some natural products are reputed to work very well, but the choice is yours. You should also bring something for sting relief.

Sunblock
An essential part of any tropical expedition kit. SPF 30, minimum, is recommended.
Talcum powder/Anti Fungal Powder
Due to the humid nature of the tropics, it is imperative to take extra special care of feet and crotch areas. Regular application of talcum powder can aid drying, and anti fungal powder can help prevent and combat athletes foot/other fungal infections.
Hat or bandana
Dehydration and heat exhaustion are two potential debilitators, especially in the first few days before you have fully acclimatized. The wearing of a hat or bandana in conjunction with regular fluid intake can make all the difference.
Small towel/sarong
There are excellent travelpac towels (eg Lifeventure) available, but these can be pricey. Sarongs double up as sheets and skirts.
Notebooks and pencils
These are a necessity for all field work.
Whistle
Even if you never use it it’s important to have a whistle on you at all times to attract attention in an emergency. Pea-less whistles like those made by Fox 40 are an ideal and cheap solution.
Medical Kit (see health section)
Bedding
We provide hammocks, bashas, mosquito nets and tents.
Dissertation Project Specific Equipment:
If you will be collecting data for your dissertation whilst on site, please email your project supervisor to see if they have any specific equipment they wish you to bring.
Cameras, binoculars (8x40 recommended) and digital voice
recorders can come in useful, especially if you want to get more
involved in a particular project.
If you are doing a dissertation and have a wireless enabled laptop,
or one with a PCMCIA ethernet card, you can connect it to the field station network. It is well worth bringing, as computer time can be limited.

Clothing
A combination of natural and synthetic fibres are advisable – whereas nylon has the advantage of drying quickly it can also cause you to sweat more thus causing chaffing and heat rash. Cotton on the other hand is kind to your skin, but can take a while to dry. Both have their strengths and weaknesses – seek advice when purchasing.
Lightweight long trousers (2-3 pairs)
Long shorts (2-3 pairs)
T-shirts (loose fitting – 4)
Fleece top (1)
Long sleeved shirt (2)
Warm/Thermal underwear/sleepwear (1 set) for the forest camps
Warm hat for the forest camps
Swim suit or shorts (at least 1)
Socks (5 pairs)
Knickers/underpants (5 pairs)
Bras (2-3, optional for males)
Everything that you need to get in the water is available to hire on site. If you decide to hire, budget around CAD$14 per day for a full set of equipment. If you plan to continue diving in the future, it might be well worth investing in your own kit.
Wetsuit
The purpose of a wetsuit is twofold, to keep you warm whilst underwater, and to protect you from marine life that may sting you. A full suit will keep you warmer at depth and give you more protection, but if you have already purchased a ‘shorty’, they are acceptable. The most suitable thickness required for these waters is 3mm (though 5mm gives added warmth). It’s possible to purchase a wetsuit for as little as CAD$30.
Swimsuit
Swim suit or swimming trunks.
Sunglasses
A good pair are important to protect your eyes from the glare reflected from the water.

Clothing and Equipment—Marine Sites

Notebooks and pencils
A requirement for all projects. If you want to splash out, waterproof books are an advantage.
PADI Open Water Dive Training Course.
You need to bring 1 passport size photo for when you pass your dive training course.
PADI Open Water Crew Pack
PADI have recently made it compulsory for all Open Water trainees to purchase the Open Water Crew Pack which consists of the Open Water Course Material, recreational dive tables, and a dive logbook . Operation Wallacea has been able to source several dive shops who offer a discount on the Crew Pack. These packs can be purchased for CAD$80 incl. shipping which includes a course manual, dive tables and a free log book. If you would like to purchase your Crew Pack through Operation Wallacea, please contact the Canadian office at Canada@opwall.com to place your order.
Dive qualifications and log books
Need to be brought with you if you are already a qualified diver.
Dive watch
If you want to do any diving beyond the Open Water course, you will need to bring a dive watch. It doesn’t have to be very technical, but you must have a watch that is waterproof to at least 100m.
Dive torch
If you are an advanced diver or are planning to take your advanced training, and wish to do a night-dive whilst on Hoga please bring 2 dive torches, one main torch and a smaller back up torch. Rechargeable batteries are advisable.
Dive knife
This is recommended, but not an essential item
Dive equipment package
We have got together with a reputable dive shop called Innerspace Divers Supply (www.innerspacediverssupply.com/) in Pickering who are able to offer a 30% discount to Operation Wallacea volunteers. You will need to speak with the owner, Roman Mizanski, and bring in your Op Wall support letter to receive the discount.
PIC Card
Upon successfully completing your Open Water dive training, you will need to purchase a PIC Card (approx. US$30) on site in order to register your qualification with PADI. NB: All dive equipment must be checked and serviced prior to departure, if taking your own kit.

Communications

Once you are on site it is difficult to have any communication with the outside world except through the Operation Wallacea radio system! There are e-mail facilities at the hotel in Kendari, and on Hoga, but please don’t rely on being able to use these. Before the start of each season a main operations centre for the Operation Wallacea teams is set up in Bau Bau. Telephone and fax numbers for these main operations offices will be available on the web a month before the expedition starts.
If we need to make contact with your family from Indonesia, there are excellent communication facilities in place to do this. However, it will be more difficult for your family to contact you, except in the case of an emergency.
The first point of contact for your family should always be the UK office (+44 1790 763 194), which is open from 9-5 Monday to Friday.
The following 24 hour UK mobile number can be called by family members in an emergency: +44 7818 061 029

Countdown to Leaving
If you haven’t already done so, please make sure that you send the following information to the UK Opwall office by no later than March 30th, 2007
Operation Wallacea Medical Form
It is vital that all volunteers fill this in and send it to us as soon as possible
PADI Medical Form
Personal Details Form
Flight details
Insurance details
Disclaimer Form
Documents to bring with you
Before you leave, make sure that you are carrying:
Your Passport, and a photocopy of it in each of your bags
Your flight tickets and itinerary, and a photocopy of these in each of your bags
Your insurance details, including your policy document (outlining what you are covered for) - again a photocopy in each of your bags is a good idea
A passport photograph if you are intent on completing the PADI Open Water course
Any relevant certification documents and log books if you are already dive qualified
Spending money

Operation Wallacea
P.O. Box 243,
Pickering, Ontario
L1V 2R4
Tel: +1 (647) 212-1950
E-mail: Canada@opwall.com
www.opwall.com

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Tel: +1 (647) 212-1950 E-mail: Canada@opwall.com

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Operation Wallacea