Rangiroa Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago, 5/25/2019, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
The first day of our expedition through French Polynesia brought us north from Tahiti and the Society Islands into the great archipelago of atolls known as the Tuamotus. Along the way we cruised past Makatea, an unusual uplifted coral island, where a large swell breaking on the steep coast and a ferocious squall blackening the skies encouraged us to continue on our way to the large atoll of Rangiroa. In the blue waters of Rangiroa’s lagoon we found much more clement conditions and plunged in for our first encounters with the beautiful coral reefs of the tropical Pacific.
David has worked for Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic since 1993 on six continents and in over 65 countries. David is interested in many of the natural sciences, particularly ornithology, geology and marine biology; he most enjoys contrasting...
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Last on our list for voyaging at the Marquesas was Nuku Hiva. This island has a reputation for dramatic landscape, significant archeological sites, and fierce warriors. We were greeted by powerful drums and locals who gifted us with lovely lei seed necklaces. Our guests explored this beautiful scenery learning about birds and maraes, culminating with an energetic dance performance. In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to snorkel one last time, looking for megafauna. Mantas, eagle, and marble rays were sighted, and a school of scallop hammerheads was encountered in these deep, nutrient-rich waters. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to this amazing archipelago. With eyes now facing the horizon, National Geographic Orion departed “duskward,” heading north across the equator where new adventures await us in the famous islands of Hawaii.
Our day started with our early arrival to the island of Hiva Oa, the largest and most fertile of the southern Marquesas Islands. As the first rays of light appeared in the horizon, a fleet of Zodiacs departed National Geographic Orion to investigate the coastline near the main town of Atuona. The island has impressive cliffs that abruptly raise high up from the sea. A lack of coral barrier, a characteristic common among all Marquesas islands, makes the coastline susceptible to erosion from heavy swells and waves. Fortunately, a small off-shore islet in front of the main bay, provided us with space suitable for snorkelers to enjoy what became one of the most spectacular wildlife opportunities of the trip. For the rest, we had quite a time visiting the town of Atuona. This was the final home of the famed French painter Paul Gauguin and to Belgian singer Jacques Brel. Both have been buried in Calvary Cemetery overlooking the town. We concluded our visit to town with a stop in the cultural center, which mostly portraits the life and artwork of its most famous inhabitant, Paul Gauguin. As for our afternoon, our ship repositioned to the near island of Tahuata, which was nearly 2.5 miles from Hiva Oa. Here our guests disembarked shortly after lunch to be welcomed by the warm and pleasant community with an outstanding performance right at the main dock. This lead to a procession through the little village and into a cultural center where more music and the best handicrafts we’ve thus far seen were both on full display. A group of guests decided to join some of our staff during the late afternoon on our very own Citizen Science project known as Planet or Plastic, which conducted for the first time a plankton tow survey to be further analyzed and determined the amount of micro-plastic contents in it. This is a revolutionary way to integrate our guests into real science conducted onboard. Unfortunately, this day was our last, and tomorrow most of our guests will depart back to their homes, but a good number will still continue on to enjoy a pleasant ride en route, stopping next at the Islands of Hawaii!
The welcome into Fatu Hiva was warm and inviting as a pod of pilot whales swam around National Geographic Orion this morning. The whole family joined in, including baby whales swimming along the adults. A hydrophone was dropped into the water so that we might get a chance to hear the sounds clicks, whales use to communicate. A water-patrolling oceanic whitetip shark ( Carcharhinus longimanus ) swam back and forth along the side of the ship, as if to say no loitering here, please move along. No worries, though. It was time for a quick breakfast and on to adventure. Fatu Hiva would be the beautiful setting for anything that took our fancy. For the ambitious, it was off birding or hiking to a waterfall and a dip in a crystal pool. For those in the mood for something a little less strenuous, there was a stroll through a romantic village and the entrancing song of the Polynesian villagers as they danced their welcome. One group set off to find a beautiful waterfall hidden in the lush green mountainside. The mood of the explorers was boisterous with laughter and friendly banter. The level path quickly gave way a steady climb and then a slick rock trail through the beautiful vegetation. Once they passed the petroglyph man, hands upraised, it was too late to turn back. As they arrived at the waterfall, the more daring climbed a steep face to jump into the sparkling pool. Clouds drifted overhead as they lay on their back, floating in the water alive to all the senses. Another group went birding. After a three-mile Zodiac trip south, we were met by our local guides. We transferred to 4WD trucks. After a short hike to a Fatu Hiva monarch ( Pomarea whitneyi ) territory that had recently lost its nest, due likely to predation; we resolved to reach to an active nest. Our leisurely birding walk turned into a more serious hike. The mud, sweat, and effort were all worth enduring, as everyone was able to view the males and females attending to the nest. It was very exciting to see them, especially since there are only 40 Fatu Hiva monarchs left in the world. The recent introduction of rats into the island has put this beautiful species at the brink of extinction, and only thanks to the organization MANU, which that area free of cats and rats alike, there is a ray of hope for this species. After hiking back down to the trucks, we were treated to a journey over the mountains that included multiple points for sightseeing and delicious fresh fruits prepared by our local guides. Diving groups took to the water and experienced either a cave of the sleeping shark or else to observe a color-morphing octopus. The explorers who left the ship to go on a drift snorkel were all treated to quite a special show as a large group of spinner dolphins ( Stenella longirostris ) exuberantly began interacting with the Zodiacs, jumping and spinning over the course of multiple passes. The evening concluded with a star-gazing tutorial by Tua, our personal star navigator, who with the lights of the sundeck turned off took us on a celestial tour with his laser pointer. A fantastic conclusion to an amazing day.
