Banda, Indonesia, 10/22/2022, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Indonesia & Papua New Guinea
As we arrived below a conical volcanic peak and approached the spectacular Banda Islands, two traditional canoes greeted us with a warm welcome ceremony. Some of us continued ashore, learning all about this incredibly significant, tiny island in the middle of nowhere. This island group was the center of the Spice Island trade, with traders coming from all over the globe.
Some guests set off to explore the undersea world. The last volcanic eruption was in 1988, and we snorkeled and dove on this flow. It was difficult to see the lava, as it was completely covered with coral and fish. A nearby point had a gentle current and clouds of fish, including a personal favorite: the pyramid butterflyfish.
Soon, it was time to head west to our next destination. As we passed Banda Run, we spotted six blue whales! What an incredible day in a tiny island group in the middle of the Banda Sea.
Photo caption and photographer: Canoe welcome below the volcano. Photo by Mike Greenfelder
Mike learned early on that the best way to escape Ohio was to become a marine biologist. During college at Wittenberg University he attended a semester at Duke University's Marine Lab — that time only confirmed his love for all things oceanic and ma...
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Guests aboard National Geographic Orion arrived at Kananga, a village in Sumbawa, Indonesia, on Wednesday morning, where we were greeted with a cultural celebration. The locals put on a beautiful dance performance to welcome our guests. After several hours ashore, enjoying life in this small, remote village on the island of Sumbawa, we came back to the ship to prepare for the end of our journey and a celebration of our time spent journeying from Papua New Guinea to Bali. The highlights of the evening were the Captain’s cocktail party and the celebratory guest slideshow presentation prepared by photo instructor Lisa Hornak. It has truly been an incredible journey!
Overnight, National Geographic Orion brought us to Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of the Komodo dragon, the largest lizard in the world. The park is the only place in the world where these creatures are endemic, and it hosts about 5,700 giant lizards. Komodo National Park is situated in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, nestled between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. Here the islands are dry and rugged with stark hillsides meeting crystal clear, turquoise waters and sandy beaches. Our guests had the opportunity to visit the world-famous Pink Beach, or Pantai Merah. Just one of seven pink beaches in the world, fragments of reddish coral tint the sands a beautiful and dramatic hue. We snorkeled and dove in warm, inviting waters teeming with life and healthy corals. What a fantastic day!
Today we added a stop on our way to Komodo. At first light, we set eyes on the perfect cone and ash plume of the Batutara Volcano that makes up Pulau Komba Island. As we got closer and closer, we could even smell the sulfur that is constantly emitted by this impressive, active volcano. As soon as we were in position, we launched Zodiacs to find the best spots for snorkeling and diving. We expected to do our water activities from the Zodiacs, but we found a beautiful black sand beach in the early morning light. What a privilege to be able to set foot on this tiny, remote island! The reef was just spectacular with crystal-clear waters, many different types of colorful soft coral, and a myriad of fish. What a perfect snorkel spot! After last night’s recap and Brett’s presentation about how we share an unexpected amount of DNA with sea squirts, we kept our eyes peeled for a good look at and photos of our distant relatives. As a bonus, many of us were able to see a big octopus stretching out over the coral. Underwater, the flanks of Batutara Volcano drop off to 700 m. This made for a spectacular wall dive. Divers enjoyed great visibility of the diverse coral with beautiful sea fans and rugged underwater canyons bustling with marine life. For those who preferred to stay dry during the morning, a Zodiac cruise around the volcano was offered. With the guidance of geologist John, this was a perfect on-site volcanology lesson with close views of the sulfur cone and the towering plumes. We were able to witness the formation of a scree field as it happened. As small rocks spewed out of the volcanic cone and landed on the steep, rocky slope, some of them were still fuming. Back on board, we were treated to a Frühschoppen. The hotel department set up a grill with sausages, sauerkraut, and fresh brezels. To the tunes of Bavarian music, we sailed towards Komodo with Pulau Komba slowly disappearing on the horizon behind us. Photography was the theme of the afternoon. Photo instructor Lisa organized a photo analysis in the main lounge. Everyone had the chance to submit their favorite images and discuss them with the fellow travelers, Lisa, and National Geographic photographer Chris Rainier. So many great photos were submitted that the lively discussion was extended by half an hour. And tomorrow, there is more to come. After recap and a briefing by expedition leader Alex regarding our visit to Komodo Island, we are all excited for tomorrow’s adventure.
