We awoke this morning for an early start on Espiritu Santo Island, the largest in the nation of Vanuatu. Our Zodiac ride to shore was greeted by another great display of local kastom, several men adorned in traditional garb who “attacked” our Zodiacs upon arrival. Of course, such an “attack” is not an act of aggression, but rather a way of welcoming new guests into their community.
Guests took off in one of four groups. First to head out were the natural history and bird aficionados, for an exploration in the forested areas surrounding the landing beach. The second group, our divers, left for two spectacular WWII wreckage dives: one at the SS President Coolidge wreck, and another at Million Dollar Point, a large dump site for US equipment in 1943. A third group left for a special WWII History Tour, tracing some of the important sites on Espiritu Santo Island. They were accompanied by our terrific Global Perspectives speaker, James Bradley, and photo instructor, Rikki Swenson.
The fourth and final group loaded into a series of dugout canoes for what felt like one of the most scenic and peaceful paddles imaginable. We followed the crystal clear blue waters of the Riri River, the silence punctuated by cheerful bird and insect songs. Our destination was the Paradise Lagoon swimming hole at the end of the river, where we unloaded for a late morning swim. The rope swing was particularly popular, as everyone tried out their greatest Tarzan moves from the tree platform to the water.
Such an active morning called for a hearty lunch back on board National Geographic Orion, followed by two terrific presentations in the lounge as we set sail for Tanna Island. In his presentation “Jungle War: New Guinea and The Solomons, 1942-1944,” James Bradley spoke of the treacherous conditions endured by Allied troops as they pushed back Japanese forces through the Kokoda Track on Papua New Guinea. We then heard from one of our divemasters, Erin McFadden, on “How Whales Dive,” looking at deep diving foraging behaviors and diving adaptations of these spectacular creatures.
Recap was an exciting blend of storytelling and video sharing. Our undersea specialist, Mike Greenfelder, compiled footage from the dive group’s descent into the interiors of the SS President Coolidge, giving us all the sensation of practically having been there ourselves. We also heard about flying fish, the amusing constructions of the local Bislama language, and a deeply personal connection to the island from one of our guest’s father’s experiences here during WWII.
