200km from Mainland New Guinea

One of the most remote islands on Earth.

When our expedition ship arrived in the early hours of the morning it was spotted by the islanders who apparently cheered and celebrated our arrival.

Contact with the outside means an opportunity to trade and make some money.

It seems like the entire island is on the beach to meet us when we land in the zodiac, traditional body paint and head dresses as they start their traditional sing sing or welcome.

The welcomes were not always as warm for visitors on this island, up until the 1930's any outsider who landed on the island was at risk of being killed and eaten before the then chief made a peace song.

The purpose of the peace song was to show to visitors off the coast that they were now friendly by performing a peace dance.

They went from eating their visitors to dancing and trading with them.

Trading was not new to them but trading with people who came to their island was.

The Iwa islanders are part of the kula trading ring, an ancient trade route which to this day sees thousands of men risking their lives in open ocean sailing or paddling traditional canoes to trade necklaces for armbands.

This is for prestige and status only, there is no monetary gain.

Making a deal can involve going back to the trader's village and spending weeks even months negotiating with no guarantee of success.

You must be able to navigate by the stars if you can see them, if not, then figuring out the current and swell is your only option.