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Field Report Tahiti to Easter Island Marquesas, Tuamotus & Pitcairns November 5 - 24, 2017 Monday, November 6, 2017 Papeete, Tahiti / Embark Caledonian Sky We converged on the city of Papeete from distant reaches of the planet for the same reason: to embark on an expedition to experience the culture, wildlife, and land- scapes of the South Pacific. We arrived at the InterContinental Resort, some of us coming early to explore Tahiti on our own. Before meeting as a group for brunch, we took a dip in the pool or attempted to get our jet lag under control. After brunch, we met local guides who introduced us to the history and culture of Tahiti. This high, mountainous island was formed by volcanic activity, and is surrounded by coral reefs. We visited the Tahiti Museum, with its collection of artifacts from various periods of Tahiti’s history, and explored a ceremonial complex called Arahurahu, one of the most beautifully restored marae in French Polynesia. Late in the afternoon, we arrived at the pier and boarded the Caledonian Sky, our home for the next few weeks. We settled in onboard, before gathering in the lounge for a Safety Briefing. Then Expedition Leader Michael Moore, affectionately referred to as MiMo, introduced us to the staff, and Cruise Director Lynne Greig gave an over- view of the ship. Following a wonderful dinner served in the dining room, we were well ready for a good night’s sleep aboard the Caledonian Sky. Tuesday, November 7 Apataki, Tuamotu Islands We pulled back the curtains this morning to deep blue sea in every direction! We mingled over breakfast and headed to the lounge for a Zodiac briefing; Jack Grove followed with a snorkel briefing, and the divers gathered with Mike Murphy and Brad Climpson to learn about the dive operations onboard. Following an early lunch, we arranged our gear for the afternoon, and headed out to explore Apataki Atoll in the Tuamotu Islands. A spectacular current poured in to the central lagoon with the rising tide, as we sped by Zodiacs to explore the area. The divers set out on the outer reef, where thousands of paddle-tailed snappers streamed past along the reef edge. The snorkelers jumped in on a beautiful reef teeming with fish; scissor-tailed sergeants picked plankton out of the water column inches from us, while groups of parrotfish snapped up filamentous algae off the bare rock. A moray eel was spotted, twitching every now and again as a pair of blue-streak cleaner wrasses worked its skin for pesky parasites. The village tour took us to the little settlement Te Here (“love”, in English), where the family of the current mayor of the atoll lives and works. They produce copra and salted fish and have a small fish trap where they catch the bait for deep-sea fishing. The son of the mayor, Vincent, took us across to the other side, where we had fresh coconut. The family showed us their copra drying rack and how they use the fish traps with the help of their five ‘fishing’ dogs, catching about 50 jacks per minute! Once back on the ship, we met Rob Dunbar for his lecture, Seascapes and Islands of the South Pacific: What Makes the Largest Ocean on Earth Tick? We then gathered on the Lido Deck for Captain Håkon Gustafsson’s Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party, mingled over champagne, and met some of the captain’s senior officers. Wednesday & Thursday, November 8 & 9 At Sea / Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands With a day at sea on our way to the Marquesas, an island group described by some as the most beautiful in the world, we were ready for our lecture series to begin in earnest. We began with Rich Pagen’s, Drama Like Your Favorite Soap Opera: Competition, Adaptation & Deception On the Reef, before Annette Kühlem’s presentation, House Posts, Rib Men & Giant Banyans: Holy Trees in Polynesia. Our final lecture of the day was from Brent Stephenson with, World Through a Lens, before our first recap. Jack highlighted yesterday’s snorkel experience; Annette told stories of the small community we had encountered ashore; and Mike showed amazing footage of the first scuba dive of the trip, where thousands of paddle-tail snappers kept the divers company for their entire 45-minute dive! The followning morning began with several of us joining Sacha Guggenheimer for morning yoga. Following breakfast, we joined Jack’s presentation, Biodiversity in the Sea and Why It Matters, followed by Brad’s talk, Invertebrates: No Backbone, No Worries! We enjoyed beautiful conditions outside for lunch, with spectacular views of the island of Nuku Hiva off the port side of the ship. Upon arrival, we walked or drove up to an impressive archaeological site, which Annette interpreted for us; the site is called a tohua, a gathering place for the local people, where ceremonies of song and dance were held. We had good looks at the Nuku Hiva pigeon, a large bird with an unlikely call reminiscent of a parrot, or even a monkey. Several were feeding on fruit near the petroglyphs. From there, we walked to another archaeological site where we watched a wonderful cultural performance. We couldn’t help but tap our feet to the reverberating bass from the drums, as the locals danced and made impressive deep chants along to the music. Afterwards, we visited a local restaurant for a drink and snacked on banana fritters, before heading back to the ship as the sky darkened over the mountains. Friday, November 10 Atuona, Hiva Oa We awoke to gorgeous volcanic mountain scenery all around us, and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast looking out across the bucolic South Pacific landscape. We soon went ashore at Atuona, where ‘le trucks,’ used as the local school buses, brought us up to Calvary Cemetery to visit the graves of both artist Paul Gauguin and musician Jacques Brel. Annette shared stories about the lives of the two men, before we meandered down the road to the center of town where we found a few shops, a handicraft market, and an excellent museum highlighting the life of Gauguin. We also saw Brel’s airplane, which he named Jojo after his best friend. Many of us sat on the deck outside the grocery store sipping cold drinks, taking in the slow pace of this remote community. Over a barbeque lunch back onboard, the Caledonian Sky repositioned to just off the small village of Puamau. The staff went ashore to see if landing would be possible, but the swell on the beach was too lively to make a safe landing. Instead, Captain Håkon Gustafsson maneuvered the ship along the beautiful north coast of the islands of Hiva Oa. We lined the ship’s railings scanning the rocky slopes for goats, and watching a spectacular back- lit blowhole spray hundreds of feet into the air. Flocks of red-footed boobies and black noddies fed on schooling fish, while several Juan Fernandez petrels careened in the strong winds with the much more numerous Bulwer’s petrels. In the late afternoon, Tom Hiney spoke on, The Highs and Lows of the Intertidal Zone, before recap, during which Rob discussed tsunamis in the Pacific. Saturday, November 11 Fatu Hiva Towering rock spires were visible along the spectacular coast of Fatu Hiva, as we came into a stunning bay that hosted a small village nestled in a low valley surrounded by rock cliffs. A few yachts were moored outside the breakwater, and we cruised by Zodiac into the protected harbor, where we were greeted with flower leis and very excited locals. The birders set out to search for a very rare Marquesan bird, the Fatu Hiva monarch, an elongated black bird whose world population is unfortunately down to only about 20 individuals. Those looking for a view set out up the road to a high point that gave sweeping looks over the bay. Others trudged up a rocky slope through dense forest to the most beautiful waterfall, which was gently spilling down a moss-covered cliff. Still others roamed the village, or walked partially out of town past houses surrounded by papaya and breadfruit trees. In the late morning, we gathered back in the village, where locals taught us how they carve handicrafts from the local wood. They served us the most delicious assortment of cooked bananas, fresh mango, and guava, and we watched a wonderful dance performance. We enjoyed lunch back on the ship, looking out across the incredible tropical scenery. Then the divers and snorkelers explored the rocky coastline, which was inhabited by fish at home in surge conditions. Dark surgeonfish and white-cheek surgeonfish nibbled algae on the rocks, while scythe triggerfish kept themselves facing into the surge as it pushed back and forth. We spotted a very well camouflaged scorpion- fish resting on a rocky ledge, while three-spot dacyllus and a large damsel, turned a pale color as they engaged in mating behavior. As the ship departed the Marquesas, we mingled over cherries jubilee in the lounge, and we celebrated our time here on one of the most beautiful island groups in the world! Sunday, November 12 Puka Puka, Tuamotus Islands During the night, we steamed southeast back into the Tuamotu Archipelago; this island group forms the largest chain of atolls in the world, spanning an area of the Pacific Ocean roughly the size of Western Europe! Puka Puka itself is rather unique in the archipelago because it has cultural connections to the Marquesas; in fact, its language is derived from there. We came ashore and were greeted by a whole host of locals, who led us to a shady spot amidst the vegetation where we watched a cultural performance.
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