At Sea - Somewhere between the Cook Islands and French Polynesia
Days at sea are a blessing in disguise, especially when traveling in such a culturally rich place as the South Pacific. It gives one a chance to reflect and ponder the many experiences that have been put upon us since the beginning of our expedition, and simply gives our minds a chance to rest after a bombardment of new stimuli. Last evening National Geographic Endeavour and her guests turned stern to the Cook Islands and began to head further east towards French Polynesia. Our days on the Cook Islands have been a whirlwind of activities and experiences, vastly outreaching that of “normal” guests, and becoming truly expeditionary in nature as we traveled to outlying islands such as Takutea, where most of the locals who have visited there this year have done so with Endeavour.
Today we spend traveling over slightly lumpy seas whose white capped surface is a mottled color ranging from steel grey to brilliant blue. The lounge is filled with guests enjoying the knowledge of our naturalists onboard, learning about Polynesian Religions, Deep Ocean Research, and the exciting possibilities of our own alliance with the National Geographic Society.
As we relax on deck enjoying the breeze, it is easy to get lost in the sea around us, and questions about what lies below the surface creep into our mind: are there many sharks? What kind of turtle was it that just slipped beneath the waves? What tiny creatures live in the water? Some of the mystery was put to rest as our Undersea Specialist, David Cothran, did a plankton tow, revealing a well know fact that the tropical waters do not hold as many nutrients as the colder bodies do, yet he did manage to find a copepod or two.
Even though the plankton tows prove not to be as fruitful, there are still a plethora of creatures in the Pacific Ocean, not only on the reefs, but also in the open sea. Pictured here are two of the creatures we have come across while diving or snorkeling. The Whitetip Reef Shark, sometimes called the dogs of the sea, is often seen cruising solitarily around shallow reefs. It is a relatively harmless shark, but I would still caution against grabbing its tail. The Black Jack can be seen swimming by itself or in groups, often coming close to divers to investigate exactly what they are doing in the Jack’s neck of the sea.
As the sun sets spectacularly this evening in a mesh of orange, reds, and yellows, our camera cards have been downloaded and our minds rested and rejuvenated for the next portion of our journey. We eagerly await all that French Polynesia has to offer us.
Days at sea are a blessing in disguise, especially when traveling in such a culturally rich place as the South Pacific. It gives one a chance to reflect and ponder the many experiences that have been put upon us since the beginning of our expedition, and simply gives our minds a chance to rest after a bombardment of new stimuli. Last evening National Geographic Endeavour and her guests turned stern to the Cook Islands and began to head further east towards French Polynesia. Our days on the Cook Islands have been a whirlwind of activities and experiences, vastly outreaching that of “normal” guests, and becoming truly expeditionary in nature as we traveled to outlying islands such as Takutea, where most of the locals who have visited there this year have done so with Endeavour.
Today we spend traveling over slightly lumpy seas whose white capped surface is a mottled color ranging from steel grey to brilliant blue. The lounge is filled with guests enjoying the knowledge of our naturalists onboard, learning about Polynesian Religions, Deep Ocean Research, and the exciting possibilities of our own alliance with the National Geographic Society.
As we relax on deck enjoying the breeze, it is easy to get lost in the sea around us, and questions about what lies below the surface creep into our mind: are there many sharks? What kind of turtle was it that just slipped beneath the waves? What tiny creatures live in the water? Some of the mystery was put to rest as our Undersea Specialist, David Cothran, did a plankton tow, revealing a well know fact that the tropical waters do not hold as many nutrients as the colder bodies do, yet he did manage to find a copepod or two.
Even though the plankton tows prove not to be as fruitful, there are still a plethora of creatures in the Pacific Ocean, not only on the reefs, but also in the open sea. Pictured here are two of the creatures we have come across while diving or snorkeling. The Whitetip Reef Shark, sometimes called the dogs of the sea, is often seen cruising solitarily around shallow reefs. It is a relatively harmless shark, but I would still caution against grabbing its tail. The Black Jack can be seen swimming by itself or in groups, often coming close to divers to investigate exactly what they are doing in the Jack’s neck of the sea.
As the sun sets spectacularly this evening in a mesh of orange, reds, and yellows, our camera cards have been downloaded and our minds rested and rejuvenated for the next portion of our journey. We eagerly await all that French Polynesia has to offer us.
