The sun rose to calm seas, stiff breezes, and red-footed and brown boobies soaring over the bow. National Geographic Orion was approximately 15 nautical miles south of the nearest land, tiny Pulau Selatan and its neighboring islets. We started off a relaxing day with morning stretches led by wellness specialist Stephanie on the sundeck.
We spent our day in transit, bound west-by-southwest, and we enjoyed a presentation program from the natural history staff. Undersea specialist Brett Garner kicked off the morning with a deep dive into the “what and how” of expedition diving. National Geographic photographer Chris Rainier followed with “Masks: from New Guinea to Africa,” a presentation regarding his work documenting tribal masks around the world. Naturalist Mike Greenfelder rounded out the educational content with “Top Ten Reef Fish Families,” and he shared beautiful images of our reef friends.
After a lovely evening barbeque at the outdoor cafe, we reached the highlight of the day: National Geographic Orion’s crew show! The seafarers aboard the ship are a talented lot. After solo acts, dance troupes, and cultural performances of Filipino heritage, we danced the night away as smooth seas slipped silently beneath the keel.
A Midwestern kid with an insatiable curiosity about places far and foreign, Andy has converted a lucky break after college into a career at sea. From swabbing the decks to advocating for artisans and zooming in Zodiacs, he knows the operation from ev...
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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.
