It is not very often that Sunday morning on board National Geographic Orion feel like a Sunday morning. More often than not we are up at dawn and ready to go, no matter what day of the week it is. It just so happened that this Sunday was a day at sea and as such, many of us took the opportunity to have a gentle start to the morning, enjoying our breakfast in the sunshine on the aft deck before heading into the lounge to listen to Tom’s presentation on Island Plants of the Indian Ocean.
With a variety of talks scheduled for the day and with the option to use the gym or make the most of the wonderful library in the observation lounge, a day at sea is only a quiet and relaxing affair if you want it to be. There are plenty of options to keep us busy. Many people spent the morning enjoying the warmth of the sun and the cooling breeze on Deck 6 and for those interested in listening to more presentations, Cristiana was in the lounge to tell us about Coral Reef Ecology in the Indian Ocean. This was an opportunity to learn more about the reef ecosystem we have been spending time enjoying in the Seychelles and will soon be enjoying in the Maldives.
Indeed for many of us it is the opportunity to spend much time in the water, and that is the most appealing part of this voyage. Whether we are snorkelling or diving, we have the chance to enjoy some of the most idyllic coral reef locations in the world during this trip. So when Tim made an announcement that we would be stopping the ship in the middle of the Indian Ocean after lunch for an impromptu blue water swim and dive everyone was thrilled. We had all been enjoying the calm glassy seas, but we hadn’t figured that these perfect conditions would be conducive to stopping the ship and jumping in for a refreshing dip!
Swimming in water that drops to 4000m deep may sound frightening to some, however, with glorious sunshine, clear skies and flat seas, it was pure tranquillity. The divers went a short way from the ship and reported having a very calming and relaxing dive: the water was so clear that from 25m depth the divers could make out the clouds in the sky and the Zodiac driver above. Whether snorkelling, swimming or diving, everyone had a superb afternoon enjoying the deep blue waters in the midst of the Indian Ocean.
Having dried off in the sunshine and enjoyed some afternoon tea in the lounge, it was time to leave the water behind and listen to Mark Thiessen’s talk, “My Hottest Assignment Ever.” Having a National Geographic photographer on board is an esteemed addition to any Lindblad Expedition. Listening to Mark’s experiences documenting the lives of Russian smoke jumpers fighting wildfires in Russia was fascinating. For 40 minutes we listened to him intently, forgetting we were in the Indian Ocean surrounded by thousands of miles of open water.
To ensure we didn’t forget about our marvellous surroundings for too long, the hotel team invited us up onto Deck 6 to enjoy a drink and to watch the sunset. The changing blue and orange colours in the sky created a serene backdrop. Looking back on our day at sea with a cocktail in hand, it was hard to believe how much we had seen, done, and learned. Making our way down to the dining room to enjoy another marvellous meal, every one of us could testify that we hadn’t had a Sunday as good as this in a long time.
