Our final day at sea before steaming for Darwin started early for a small but dedicated group of guests who braved an early start to catch the Zodiac from the National Geographic Orion across to Com, Timor Leste, to complete the technical stop for this journey. On the wharf at Com we were greeted by an enthusiastic group of local vendors selling some of the local textiles and souvenirs that this area is recognized for. Under torchlight the guests wandered between the stalls, looking for that special something to remind them of this brief visit to Timor Leste. Once formalities were completed, we were whisked back to the ship to steam back to Darwin.
To complement the busy days we spent exploring the amazing sights of the Kimberley, the expedition team packed this day with a variety of presentations and hands-on workshops to enhance the guests’ appreciation of the biodiversity and maritime history of this area and improve their photographic techniques to better capture the memories of their journey.
Mark Read started the day with a presentation on the marine mammals of the Kimberley – describing the biology and behavior of the more commonly encountered species and highlighting the threats they may face in the future. This was followed up by an excellent presentation on photography tips and tricks presented by our amazingly talented photographic team of Michael Nolan, CT Ticknor and Ira Block. The team, ably assisted by naturalist Adam Britton, then organized a series of break-out groups to give hands-on tips and advice to the guests on organizing their image collection, better focusing techniques and how to get the best from the iPhone. These break-out sessions were well attended, with most people turning up with their cameras and manuals to take the opportunity to enhance their skills.
Damon Ramsey then provided a comprehensive overview of the maritime history of the area and finished up with some key facts on Darwin, to give the guests some insights on this young but historic city. Adam Britton then combined his knowledge and experience to give an amazing presentation on using modern technology to study ancient reptiles. As always, Adam’s knowledge and experience with crocodiles kept everyone enthralled, particularly his video footage of him taking a small tissue sample from a four meter Nile crocodile while underwater on SCUBA gear.
Last but not least, the photographic team of Michael Nolan and CT Ticknor played the voyage slideshow, a visual feast of images of the Kimberley submitted by guests and the expedition team. Everyone was spell-bound as images of our trip unfolded before us, many bringing a knowing smile to the face as we remembered an event or special moment. While everyone may have started the journey as guests, expedition staff or crew on-board the magnificent National Geographic Orion, we finish the expedition as friends with shared memories of our journey together.
