A day at sea offers a rare treat: relaxation. Disconnected from the world and far from any shore, today was our first of two days crossing the vast Pacific Ocean en route from the Cook Islands to Samoa. As the deep blue ocean waters slide swiftly beneath the hull of National Geographic Orion, we can only imagine how the ancient people of this region traversed such distances in wooden canoes. Our journey is infinitely more comfortable…what did those ancient wayfarers do without air conditioning, fine dining, and bottomless cookie jars?
One could easily spend a day at sea alternating between meals and the gym in an attempt to maintain some semblance of guttural balance. Luckily, there are plenty of other distractions. The stimulating lineup of lectures included ornithologist Jamie Coleman's talk on the birds of the Pacific, undersea specialist Caitlyn Webster's fascinating survey of underwater life, photo instructor and naturalist David Cothran's presentation of the geological history of these islands, and Jimmy White's description of how technology is being used to deepen our understanding of the oceans.
After dinner, our musical guest Kura Happ settled in the lounge for a casual performance and sing-along. Happ, a native of Raratonga in The Cook Islands, is a fantastic singer with a smoky, soulful voice and an endearing personality. Her repertoire includes traditional island songs in both the native te reo Maori language and English, as well jazz, pop, reggae, and blues standards. One highlight of the evening was Expedition Leader Jen Martin's fine singing on John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane."
