Wallis, East ‘Uvea, 5/21/2018, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
National Geographic Orion navigated the narrow channel entrance to the Wallis Island Atoll. With incredible early morning light and a calm sea state we were all on deck to take in the view. After an incredible morning of exploring Wallis Island, we headed to a small motu for an afternoon of kayaking, snorkeling, and stand-up paddleboarding.
Jimmy has been coordinating education and research teams for national universities, international non-government organizations, and documentary companies for more than 10 years. Jimmy’s expertise lies in the coordination and implementation of field e...
Perfect cruising conditions on this last sea day with blue skies and calm seas. Throughout the day the expedition staff offered presentations on marine life and local culture. There was time to honor the 60 crew members from nine countries (48 alone from the Philippines) who put so much effort in making our voyage safe and enjoyable. Not only do they work very hard, but they also spend part of their free time with rehearsals to demonstrate their hidden talents in the very popular crew show.
Our morning began with a presentation on sea turtles by naturalist Cristiana Damiano, and just like those fascinating creatures we on National Geographic Orion have been traveling thousands of miles across the Pacific. By noon, our ship had anchored outside the massive reef surrounding the island of Aitutaki, the second largest of the Cook Islands after Raratonga. A short Zodiac ride later, we were ashore and transferring to transport trucks. These drove us to the other side of the island, where we stepped onto local boats for a journey across one of the world's most beautiful lagoons. Our destination: One Foot Island, a picture-postcard tropical isle. There, we languished on the white sand beach, snorkeled among giant trevally fish and colorful giant clams, and enjoyed the lilting sounds of ukuleles while feasting on local delicacies.
At sunrise, National Geographic Orion found herself cruising east toward Cook Island. It was an overcast morning and what could be seen at the distance was an immense body of water. The distance to covered was around 750 nautical miles. These moments at sea were a great opportunity to enjoy the facilities of our ship. A set of great presentations were given in the lounge and enjoyed by our guests during the morning. In the afternoon, we had the honor of enjoying the music performance of Kura Happ and her grandmother Tekura Ruaporo. At the end of the day, we had to conclude that the Pacific Ocean is a large body of water in which for centuries the Polynesians explored and populated remote islands for generations.
