Today was our first full day at sea having spent the previous five days actively immersed in the South Pacific and its idyllic islands. Hikes and tours, snorkelling and diving, kayaking and Zodiac cruising - it is hard to believe we have only been on the ship for a matter of days considering everything we have experienced thus far. Today was an opportunity to spend time on board and to learn more from our expert guides about the natural history and cultural history of the South Pacific. Our day at sea also offered us the time to become more acquainted with our wonderful vessel: whether enjoying the observation lounge and its extensive library, spending time out on deck with guides and binoculars looking for wildlife, enjoying a relaxing massage with Katrina our wellness specialist or burning some energy in the gym – there is no shortage of experiences during a day at sea on board National Geographic Orion.
It wasn’t long into the morning that we had our first memorable experience of the day. As National Geographic Orion cruised past Raroia Atoll many of us went out on deck and into the blustery wind to witness the spot where Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki raft arrived after its 101-day journey from South America. While cruising past this rugged tropical atoll, Claudio gave an informative overview of its history and no sooner had he finished than Mike Greenfelder and Richard White were bounding around the decks – they had spotted a Tuamotu sandpiper flying above the ship.
The Tuamotu sandpiper is one of few species of sandpiper that doesn’t migrate, it inhabits French Polynesia year-round. For the birders on board it was a significant find because these tiny shore birds are only found in very specific and very hard to reach areas within French Polynesia. Considering this unique sighting, plus all of the remarkable places and activities we have encountered so far on this voyage, National Geographic Orion is proving to be the perfect expedition platform.
National Geographic Orion had to leave the shores of the Raroia Atoll behind in order to sail towards our destination for tomorrow – Pukarua. With plenty of sailing time ahead, this morning was a chance to hear more from Chris Rainer about the evolution of cultures worldwide and the significance of tattoos in many cultures – such as those of the South Pacific. With such a wealth of expertise on board, the staff presentations are a highlight for many of us. Following another marvellous buffet lunch in the outdoor café, Mike Greenfelder continued the series of staff presentations with his talk about coral and later in the afternoon David Cothran gave as an introduction to the geology and tectonics of the South Pacific. Snorkelling and diving on the coral reefs of the South Pacific is a major highlight of this trip. The opportunity to learn more about how these impressive atolls and reef systems were created and subsequently evolved makes experiencing them first hand all the more worthwhile.
This afternoon also offered us the chance to have a guided tour of the Bridge. Captain Vincent kindly guided us around what is essentially the hub of the ship and the rather complex navigational systems and array of buttons began to make a little more sense to those of us unfamiliar with navigation at sea.
While the officers on the Bridge continued sailing us towards Pukarua, we enjoyed a relaxed evening on board National Geographic Orion. The staff delivered another informative recap with Richard revealing more about the significance of the sighting of the Tuamotu sandpiper earlier today. Heading down to the Dining Room and into the capable hands of Sam and his wonderful restaurant team, we enjoyed another superb dinner and reflected on our successful day at sea and looked forward to our expedition day tomorrow at Pukarua.
