At Sea (En Route to Tonga), 10/29/2015, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Pacific Islands & Australia - OLD
Still aglow from our recent visit to the Fijian islands, National Geographic Orion pointed east toward our next destination—the splendors of Tonga. Turning our focus toward better understanding our upcoming destinations, the day began with a lesson in photography. With the myriad of camera types on board, and a range of photographers ranging from storied professionals to eager beginners, our photo team set out to make sure everyone is ready for the events of our continuing journey.
Next up was our global perspective guest speaker Tim Severin, an adventurer of great renown who has retraced the steps of some of the greatest journeys ever recorded in man’s history. Today he recanted his initial voyage which set out to prove that an Irish monk may have been the first to reach the Americas long before Columbus ever had the thought in his mind. Following in the afternoon was a photography perspective by National Geographic and Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Jay Dickman. Exampling the importance of narrative, immediacy of finding the moment and an overall look at his career—we were all in awe of his ability to capture the grace and breadth of the human experience. Well learned and even better fed, we rest certain of the experiences yet to come.
Paul North is the founder of the educational nonprofit Meet the Ocean and host of its online podcast. As a polar diver with Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic, he tours the remote underwater landscapes of Antarctica and other sub-zero destinati...
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We came on deck first thing this morning to a sparkling sea and a horizon decked with tropical islands. Since we arrived in Lautoka yesterday, the biggest port on the west side of Vitu Levu, we have been steaming east for the more remote, outer islands. We are in the narrows between Taveuni, “The Garden Island,” to starboard and a peninsula of Vanua Levu, the second largest to the north. Scattered seabirds were fishing over the current streams between the islands: tropicbirds, sooty terns, shearwaters, and both Tahiti and collared petrels. We are blessed today with lighter winds and a choice of sheltered bays, so we seek a haven among the maze of coral reefs in this far corner of Fiji. By way of an introduction to the geography, culture and customs of Fiji, Mike gave an entertaining talk called “Bula!” (the emphatic greeting with which locals hail all visitors). Divers then met with Erin and Paul in the lounge to discuss safety procedures, followed mid-morning by a talk on protocols for Zodiac operations, kayaking and snorkeling. Straight after this our eager frogmen and frogwomen stormed Deck 6 to choose masks, snorkels, rash vests, flotation devices and wet suits in a quest for the perfect fit. Business was brisk, and we managed to satisfy most customers before an early lunch call. No rest for the wicked! By 1330 the first Zodiacs were headed inshore packed with the vivid black, yellow, blue, and purple livery of committed snorkelers. Kayaks had been set up ashore under the tall coconut palms for paddlers, divers were soon no more than rising bubbles, folk enjoyed a swim in the shallows, and the GBZ (“glass bottomed Zodiac”) patrolled the reef edge with its blue window on the wonderful world of coral. Drifting with engines off, to the sounds of forest bird calls wafting over the water, we skirted mangroves, circled coral heads, and gazed in awe upon electric blue damselfish, darting surgeons, elegantly plumed Moorish Idols, the sluggish silhouettes of sea cucumbers, the dread crown-of-thorns starfish, the wavy smile of giant clams, and tall orange sponge chimneys. It was clear from coral debris that this reef has been pummeled by a cyclone in the last couple of years, but fresh coral growth shows that the reef is recovering well from the onslaught. We were delighted to see a young hawksbill turtle right beneath the Zodiac, a special treat capped only by the arrival (announced by the ringing of a Zodiac bell) of Magnum ice creams, probably one of the rarest species on any tropical reef, and unsurprisingly, rapidly extinct.
After a sumptuous gourmet dinner last night we slept well with vivid dreams of exotic locations, only to wake and find ourselves still part of the dream: still anchored off the lush green forested hill of Taveuni. We will remain here for a second day and explore some of the hinterland of this beautiful island. On a clear, sunlit morning the first adventurers were up by 0600, to seek some of the rich birdlife of the island. In a convoy of four jeeps, we followed the coast road admiring cultivated farmland all along the coastal plain. Taveuni, third largest of the Fijian islands, has long been known as “The Garden Isle.” With its high rainfall and fertile soils it grows a huge range of traditional food crops, many of which we passed: pineapples, cassava, taro, sweet potato, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts, and peppers. Copra is no longer the economic mainstay of these islands, and though tall coconut palms extend well inland, they only provide local consumption now. We soon turned up into the hills, climbing through scattered clumps of forest and past giant mango trees. Fijian goshawks were circling over the trees, collared lories (scarlet-breasted parrots) flew between the coconuts, and we could hear the shrill calls of white-eyes. Once on foot we noted jungle mynahs, heard the Vanikoro flycatcher, and came to a deep gully with dense forest on the far side. Here live some of the elusive birds we had come to find: peale’s (or barking) pigeon, the wattled honeyeater, but although we could hear its steady ‘ tok tok’ call, the endemic orange dove eluded us. Giant trees and an understorey of tree ferns up here create one of the most spectacular rainforests in the Pacific, a delight to behold. A second group of hikers left the ship at 0800 and headed along the coast to the Bouma Forest, then upriver along a fine grass track lined with tropical flowers to the spectacular Bouma Falls, where the river plunges over a volcanic cliff into a deep pool. From here the path zigzagged up steeply higher into the hills, but the climb was worth all the effort to reach the second set of falls on the Tavoro River; many swam in the pool at the base to revive themselves for the descent. The third group of guests left the ship at the more civilised time of 0900, to attend Sunday service at the Catholic Church in Waitabu Village. The congregation welcomed our presence in the church and sang lustily in glorious close harmony to the hymns, a sound so evocative of the Pacific. They even sang a farewell song as we climbed back on the bus, and we still had time left to visit the Bouma Waterfall as the others had done, and bathe in the crystal clear waters of the Tavoro River. The village name Waitabu (Wy-tam-Bu) means “sacred waters” in Fijian. It is reassuring to see how clear and unpolluted both river and ocean still remain, so this ancient name still resonates today. This has been a fitting end to our voyage since the Solomons, and we celebrated our good fortune and vivid memories with a final slide show, plus much collective good cheer and merriment at the Captain’s farewell dinner as we steam through the night to Lautoka.
