Expedition – Marquesas Islands

In May, I was invited for an adventurous sail on the Lindblad National Geographic Orion in the South Pacific for 10 days from Papeete to the Marquesas. In preparation, I reread Typee, Melville’s first novel, if you don’t remember his tale, he jumped ship in the Marquesas and lived among cannibal tribes for a few months. Melville and his shipmate Toby were tempted by an abundance of breadfruit trees, beautiful Polynesian women and he was dreadfully weary from months aboard a whaling ship with a tough captain. On arrival to the Marquesas, I felt as if I had been there, completely captivated by the towering green mountains, perilously steep with very few natural harbors. I’m a fan of Gauguin who painted here, how could I decline an adventure at sea on the Lindblad Orion?

Before our clients depart on a Journey, we send a gift bag of books, a reading list and a note: Nothing will make your trip more satisfying than to know something about the places you’re visiting; whether it’s the wildlife, people, history, geography or plant life.

French Polynesia, Marquesas Photo Courtesy of Lindblad national Geographic

We disembarked the Papeete harbor on a sultry Friday afternoon and set to sea. Sunset cocktail briefing with charts and graphs indicating our morning destination would be under a foot of rain and a 40-foot swell, now that would make for an exciting but very wet sail. The brilliant expedition leader, Dr. Jimmy White, revealed a fresh sailing strategy. I loved the flexibility of the Orion team – this isn’t your typical cruise, where you may sit out a bad weather day in a port. Lindblad National Geographic Expedition teams studied tides, the wind and the sky and plotted a new course as a seasoned navigator might have years ago when canoes were the only form of transportation. This revised plan would come with an added bonus – an extra day in the Marquesas!

An over-night sail from Pappetee to the Fakarava atoll. Text-book lullaby: fresh sea breezes and the gentle rocking motion of the ship, my spacious stateroom with a sliding glass door remained open for the duration of the Expedition. Waking at 5:30 am, before sunrise each morning, eyes barely open, I padded upstairs to the library for coffee; each morning, I passed a sleepy disheveled gentleman in a white bathrobe balancing a cup and saucer of tea. Neither of us were dressed for public view or interested in conversation – quiet private moments to ease into a new day.

Makatea – Melville’s description of forbidding sheer cliffs appear to be accurate on first sightings of these islands.

The overnight sail delivered us north from Tahiti and the Society Islands into the great archipelago of atolls known as the Tuamotus. At dawn, we stopped briefly and peered at the dark forbidding clouds surrounding Makatea, a rare uplifted coral island, a large swell was crashing on the walls of the vertical coast and a wicked squall blackening the horizon encouraged Captain Heidi Norling to continue on our way north to the atoll of Rangiroa. My first glimpse of the sheer elevations of Makatea conveyed Melville’s descriptions, beautiful yet forbidding unyielding mountains rising out of the blue sea.

French Polynesia, Marquesas

Every morning I perched on the bow of Orion to welcome a new day of adventure. This morning didn’t disappoint, a pod of bottle nose dolphins greeted us and surfed the powerful currents alongside the bow of the ship – an exhilarating welcome. Across the swells, red-footed boobies, black & brown noddies flitted above the swells in pursuit of breakfast. We were ready for our first foray into the cobalt seas in the site known as The Aquarium. Oh, what a thrill to view a sunny beach, calm seas and a view of swaying palm trees on Rangiroa atoll; from the open Pacific into the sheltered lagoon, led by nimble dolphins. An extraordinary start to a day at sea.

Good Morning! A pod of bottle nose dolphins greeted us and surfed the powerful currents alongside the bow of the ship.

Continuing onward north we found shelter the next morning in the peaceful waters of Fakarava, a coral atoll. The ship zodiacs head out early to sea surveying diving locations, here the sharks prefer to lounge in the shallow bay. We departed at 9 am for a morning of self-guiding to the small village of Fakarava atoll, Tuamoto archipelago. The protected islets form a ring around the lagoon of Fakarava, the second largest atoll in French Polynesia. French painter Henri Matisse would claim that colors were for setting oneself free, he spent three months in Tahiti in 1930 exploring as far as Fakarava, where he was enthralled by the endless variety and shades of blue of the lagoons. This discovery prompted a new creative artistic effort for Matisse. Many art critics believe his Remembering Oceania cutouts represent his visit to Fakarava. Think of Fakarava as visual therapy for the soul. Fakarava, which means “beautiful”, is as stunning above water as it is underwater. The atoll has delightfully warm seas and the fluorescent corals are mesmerizing, it is also known for a protected shark population. Simple snorkeling gear is all that one needs to explore and be entranced by the wonders of these indigo seas. Schools of fish by the thousands, massive coral heads line the sandy bottom, there is so much to experience.

Cocktails in the sea? In the peaceful waters of Fakarava, a coral atoll.

The numbers: 806 population, 6/15 square miles of semi-paved roads. Although you can’t see the other side of the atoll, one could walk across in a matter of minutes through the swaying palm trees. Sunday morning Mass at the tiny Catholic church began at 9. We pedaled toward the Church, drawn by a harmonious chorus of Alleluia. The small church was under renovation and parishioners lined the lawn facing a charming garden grotto. We lucked out, it was Mother’s Day, the women were festooned in floral crowns and hand-made sunhats of local materials, their finest millinery.

We peeked in at the Church interior, only to be reprimanded by a woman in a lovely hat who asked us to leave, as it was a construction zone – she told me the ladies would be selling beads and crafts after Mass. She certainly had me pegged, bead collector on a bike! The island people utilize much of nature’s bounty; a curved church wall was enhanced with inlaid polished oyster shells. Vaulted ceilings were painted robin egg blue and a small rose window at the nave threw shadows on the floorboards.

The quiet village, with the exception of the church goers, must have slept in. A few stray dogs napping on the wide paved road, the obligatory free-range roosters but not much else happening. Going off road onto a sandy path, we discovered a small beachfront inn, it appeared to be owned by an artist or talented craftsman. Driftwood accessories, planters decorated with shells, and rows of potted flowering plants were a reminder of using found objects for décor, lacking shopping centers, nothing goes to waste. A little beach cafe offered chocolate ice cream and cold Tahitian beer – well deserved after biking in the humidity and heat. We passed a Sunday barbeque, the main course was fish, probably caught that morning – a carefree life on the village atoll. A local fisherman wading into the sea was practicing the old procedure of primitive fishing – toss in the line and pull in a fish no pole required. He was successful, I tried this in the Maldives, without success! It was a delightful interlude before moseying back to ship, imagine the expansive horizon with the lovely Orion bobbing atop the sapphire sea.

Nothing goes to waste on an atoll, a small cottage was decorated with a massive collection of sea buoys.

Back on deck for terrace lunch, photography talks in the afternoon and we continued toward the Marquesas, – a 44-hour sail. Onboard, there were so many activity options. Additional staff included multiple researchers, authors, published naturalists and dive masters, truly experts in their fields. All friendly, fun and not at all condescending if one wasn’t an ‘expert’ in birding, fauna, or photography. David Cothran, Naturalist/Photo Instructor, has worked for Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic since 1993 on six continents and in over 65 countries. He too was very patient and enthusiastic in helping us develop additional insight and skills necessary to better understand our cameras and the basics of composition — to better capture the moments at the heart of your expedition. Plus, the ship has loaner lenses, cameras, binoculars so you can experiment with new gear. Our Expedition team included Randy Olson, a National Geographic documentary photographer, whose work has taken him to 50 countries over the past 20 years. Concentrating on population and resource issues, as well as disappearing cultures, Randy has shot over 30 stories for National Geographic magazine covering diverse subjects. NG has published his books of photography and he has won numerous photography awards. He was laid back and very approachable, even for an amateur photographer like myself. Each evening included a summary of the day – his multiple shots laid out, his path to achieve his best photo. – I learned much from understanding his photographic style and goals and his visuals of how he achieved what he described as his best photo of the day.

An overnight and all-day Monday Journey to the Marquesas. The Orion is a small but luxurious ship, holding 102 passengers in 52 staterooms. I was wildly impressed by how frequently the guests had sailed on Lindblad National Geographic Journeys – a minimum of three and many had taken more than 10 trips and many more than 20 trips – seriously, an endorsement of a remarkable product.

Sunrise from my balcony

Each evening began with a cocktail gathering – a briefing on our daily progress, a promise of adventure ahead – a video chronicle of moments caught by the photographers – the generous sharing was enthusiastic and enjoyed by everyone. Dinner with guests and off to bed to awake to our next adventure. The gentle rocking and the fresh sea breeze was the perfect combination for dreamy sleep.

Next week a continuation of my Journey on The Lindblad National Geographic Orion.

This firm offers small group adventures on small boats all over the world.

Sail Away With Me Lindblad-National Geographic

Tahiti to the Marquesas French Polynesia Adventure
French Post-Impressionist Gauguin painted some of his most famous work here, Melville penned his first book, Typee, after an island visit, a highly romanticized account of his life among Polynesians. Gauguin spent his last days in the islands and died in 1903 at Hiva ‘Oa. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery, the main cemetery in Atuona, Hiva ‘Oa, French Polynesia. It is located on a hillside on the eastern edge of town, overlooking the anchorage on Atuona Bay. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Belgian singer and poet Jacques Brel. They both rest facing Taaoa’s Bay under the sweet fragrance of frangipani trees.

“Aha Oe Feii?” (“What? Are You Jealous?”). 1892 Gauguin

Lindblad-National Geographic Orion is a state-of-the-art expedition ship, designed to safely explore the remote regions of the planet. Orion carries 102 guests in 53 cabins, nine of them with balconies. She is equipped with a full complement of cool tools to explore the environment, including kayaks, Zodiacs, an ROV, and the capacity to accommodate scuba divers. Her size and nimbleness offer the perfect combination of safety and the ability to reach out-of-the-way islands and other places where large cruise ships cannot go.

Lindblad-National Geographic Orion

Barefoot casual luxury is the operating phrase on this 10-day cruise from Tahiti to remote islands. Revel in idyllic islands and the allure of the high seas. We will follow in the path of early Polynesian navigators on this epic voyage. From the aquamarine atolls of the Tuamotu Islands to the lush volcanic peaks of the mysterious Marquesas, visiting some of the most remote and compelling sites in the far reaches of French Polynesia.
Expedition Highlights
• Venture into the lush tropical forest and discover ancient Polynesian sacred sites on the verdant island of Hiva Oa.
• Snorkel or dive in the Tuamotus and see abundant fish and thriving coral reef ecosystems.
• Learn stand-up paddle boarding in gorgeous turquoise lagoons.
• Watch on deck as National Geographic Orion navigates into dramatic Hanavave Bay.

The Expedition Team includes, dive-masters, guest speakers, naturalists, expert photo instructors, naturalists, cultural specialists, in total 16 learned professionals to teach and inspire guests. One of the team members is Tua Pittman, a Cultural Specialist. Internationally acclaimed as a traditional master navigator, Tua has navigated canoes across the great oceans of our planet from the coastlines of Asia through to the shores of the Americas for more than 30 years, without the use of modern instruments. This Cook Islander, also of New Zealand Maori and Tahitian bloodlines, uses an ancient navigational system based upon careful observation of celestial bodies—sun, moon, and stars—as well as using ocean swells, flight patterns of birds, and other natural markers. I’m certain he can explain the midnight skies and point out the Southern Cross.

Lindblad-National Geographic Polynesia Expedition

In preparation, I’m re-reading Melville’s ‘Typee’, his tale of deserting Acushnet, a whaling ship in 1846 when landing at the Marquesas Islands. He believed he had found a South Sea paradise in the mysterious chain of islands, after he and his fellow seaman,Toby, abandoned ship and roamed the deep green valleys. Welcomed by the locals, he then began to suspect his new islander friends were cannibals and he might end up as the entrée in an upcoming feast. As a particularly witty friend advised: don’t accept an island dinner invitation as you may be dinner.

Infinite shades of azure. Secluded atolls.The sultry perfume of Tiare Tahiti (gardenia). To this day French Polynesia and the South Pacific conjure up the romantic notions brought back by the legendary European explorers who discovered it hundreds of years ago. Lindblad-National Geographic has been exploring the “Pearl of the Pacific” since the 1980s and this South Pacific cruise experience is key to helping you truly “get lost” in this tropical paradise.

Lindblad-National Geographic Orion

The Marquesas are so remote that some are untouched since the era of European explorers. A land of dewy and majestic 1,000-foot waterfalls cascade down volcanic cliffs and craggy peaks disappear into the brilliant white clouds hovering above the turquoise seas.

Paradise indeed, Epic Lindblad-National Geographic Journeys deliver comfort, beguiling scenery and deep knowledge on exhilarating authentic adventures. Linblad perfected escapades and the National Geographic alliance is the perfect collaboration of world-renowned scientists, naturalists, and researchers while sailing on a high comfort expedition ship.

I understand first bell is at 7.30 am, exploits are on the horizon every day, this isn’t a snooze escape!

Lindblad National Geographic nurse shark Polynesia Expedition