Piopiotahi Milford Sound, Aotearoa New Zealand, 11/22/2023, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Australia and New Zealand
The first day of our expedition had us in the stunning fjords of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest National Park. In Te Reo Māori, the name of this place is incredibly linked to the story of the demigod Maui, who died trying to win immortality for his beloved people. A single piopio, a now-extinct native bird, flew over this land to mourn him.
Kim is a marine biologist, fine art photographer, and avid fisherman. Based in Juneau, Alaska, Lingít Aaní, she spends her time between the mountains and the ocean. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Cognitive Neuroscience from the Unive...
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It was a beautiful day in “Gizzy”, as the locals call it. We chose our own adventures today, ranging from a visit to the local arboretum displaying trees from around the world, a homestead and farm visit, and of course, a winery tour and tasting since we’re right in the middle of Aotearoa New Zealand’s beautiful wine country.
Our first full day on North Island, New Zealand was spent in Napier, the art deco capitol of New Zealand. Many opportunities to fully grasp the splendor of this unique town and surrounding area were afforded to us, including independent explorations (on foot or by bicycle), the National Aquarium of New Zealand, Art Deco Town tours, and of course the Australasian gannet colonies out at Cape Kidnappers Cove. It was truly a glorious day filled with sunshine and warm spring weather. The statue “A Wave Through Time” is modelled on Sheila Williams, daughter of Ernest Williams, one of the notable architects of the post-earthquake rebuild era. The statue also features a greyhound, although Sheila had horses not dogs, images of exuberant women with elegant dogs were a popular theme during the Deco period. Sheila was also the Carnival Queen of the New Napier Carnival in January 1933 to celebrate the town's recovery from the earthquake.
The day began with calm seas as we transited northward towards Napier, our first destination on North Island. The wind was light, so many seabirds, such as albatross and petrels, were seen bobbing on the surface rather than taking flight. We had some lovely presentations onboard, allowing for our expedition staff to shine and highlight their incredible skills and backgrounds on a variety of subjects. As 4 o’clock rolled around, we were joined by a pod of common dolphins who entertained us by riding on the bow wake of National Geographic Orion . We rounded out the evening by having a photo feedback session with National Geographic Photo Expert Jeff and Certified Photo Instructor David. It was a relaxing and informative day at sea.
