In Good Company: Tua Pittman on the Many Islands of Polynesia
In this episode of In Good Company, Cultural Specialist and Master Navigator Tua Pittman shines light on the breathtaking wildlife, natural beauty, and vibrant cultures of the South Pacific islands.
Explore with National Geographic Experts: Photographing New Zealand with Ricky Qi
National Geographic Photography Expert Ricky Qi goes in-depth on the natural and cultural richness of New Zealand and the rewarding experience of teaching guests how to capture the region’s beauty.
7 Stunning Sites That Define Japan
Our new expeditions bring you to a variety of beloved landmarks, from the magnificent Himeji Castle to the famed “floating” torii gate at Miyajima. See the full list of highlights, old and new.
Kia Ora from Aotearoa, New Zealand. Today is day one on our Aotearoa Odyssey, and we are eager to take in the wonders of these beautiful islands of New Zealand. Our adventure started at the Scientific Reserve of Tiritiri Matangi Island, home to a diverse environment of endemic trees and plant life and a haven to many local birds. Guests trekked through this rarely visited island treasure with local guides who were excited to share stories of the care they give to the many varieties of birds and plants in their forest. We were met by a slight drizzle of rain as we approached the shore, and this only added to the beauty of the forest walk. We sighted many bird feeding stations along the tracks. The birdsong was deafening but melodious, and the tracks were well marked with great stairways leading us into the dense flora. Guests lunched on sandwiches prepared by Executive Chef Rannie and Chef Andy on the back deck of National Geographic Orion before disembarking. In the late afternoon, we were treated to German hotdogs and ice-cold beers on the back deck as we ship cruised around Little Barrier Island.
Each day in Antarctica offers new and unexpected experiences to guests, whether it’s gazing out over otherworldly landscapes for the first time, encountering penguins busily tending to the task of nesting, or simply finding ourselves at the bottom of the world without any signs of human activity. Guests met the day with anticipation for the pending and momentous occasion of crossing the Antarctic Circle for the very first time. The Antarctic Circle is not as easily crossed as the Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere. Both imaginary lines on the Earth’s surface mark the latitude at which for one day in the summer the sun never sets and for one day in the winter the sun never rises. By 0900 this morning, our ship crossed this line surrounded by magnificent icebergs, pans of sea ice, and distant ice-covered peaks and valleys on the eastern horizon. To mark the occasion, our hotel department brought out champagne, and we toasted as the ship’s captain blew the horn. The outer decks were packed with thrilled guests, crew, and staff alike. We all embraced as we celebrated this remarkable event. As we continued to sail farther south in Crystal Sound, still pinching ourselves that we were here in this wild, surreal, and stunning setting, we took in the sights and made the very most of the experience as it unfolded. Of note was the near constant presence of a unique seabird endemic to Antarctica. Antarctic petrels flew over the waters, soared effortlessly over towering icebergs, and occasionally accompanied the ship. These sleek, black and white seabirds are one of the most abundant birds in Antarctica, but they are rarely seen in the numbers we encountered. Throughout the day, we observed several thousand birds in large flocks. To conclude the day’s events, our expedition leader and captain thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to offer a wholly unique activity: setting foot on one of the numerous large floes of sea ice in the area. We brought guests by Zodiac to three carefully selected ice floes, and we spent a little time experiencing what life might feel like for a penguin. As we traveled by Zodiac, we observed millions of tiny ice krill foraging and swimming along the edges of the ice floes. We were also able to observe Antarctic petrels, terns, and snow petrels as they foraged on the tiny but vital cornerstone species of the Antarctic. The entire day was truly spectacular. All on board felt immersed in this environment, like no one else in the world existed.
Today was the first day of our expedition and Costa Rica lived up to its reputation — it was a great day. In the morning we stopped at a beach that was not only gorgeous but also completely pristine; there was nobody there, just the sand and the forest. This beach is named Playa Celestia because of the beautiful turquoise color of the water. At Playa Celestia some of us just enjoyed the beach, while others did a hike to look for wildlife. The walk was very pleasant and some guests even spotted monkeys. After lunch we visited a different beach called Playa Huevos. There we enjoyed Zodiac rides through the mangrove forest, with great bird sightings. We also had a walk in the forest, where we spotted several bird species and learned about the “gallery forest” of this ecosystem. Swimming in Playa Huevos was so fantastic, the white sand and the warm waters made it difficult to leave.
Today we have had a truly memorable and wonderful day exploring Antarctica aboard our aptly named expedition ship, National Geographic Explorer . Last night, Expedition Leader Bud Lehnhausen, who has been working in the expedition industry for over 40 years, told us that he would evaluate the weather and ice conditions and give us an updated plan in the morning. This was a fitting and refreshing message, given how detailed logistics can be with a voyage like this. During breakfast, Bud outlined a plan over the public address. The day was filled with pleasant surprises and once in a lifetime experiences for many of us. Right after breakfast, the bridge officers parked our ship directly beside the fast ice in Duse Bay. Surrounded by the Antarctic continent, we walked off the ship’s B Deck directly onto the four-foot-thick ice and explored around the vast white expanse. Some guests took classic pictures, posing in front of the bow while pretending to haul one of the ship’s lines. Others studied the details of the crystalline structure of the ice. A few times during the morning, we were visited by groups of Adélie penguins. We made room for them as they walked by our group along the fast ice. During lunch, the bridge guided the ship to Brown Bluff while weaving through various large tabular icebergs. Along the way, two humpback whales were spotted, and the ship slowed down so we could observe. This was a highlight for many, and we got a close view of these beautiful migrating creatures of the sea. A few keen photographers captured images of the underside of the fluke. These images can be used to identify individual whales, and we have submitted them to Happy Whale, an organization dedicated to the better understanding and conservation of whales. At Brown Bluff, we set out to explore the collection of impressive icebergs via our fleet of Zodiacs, and we spent time on shore observing the Adélie penguin colony. Back on the ship, we were treated to a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we had popcorn in the lounge while listening to wildlife filmmaker David Wright share stories from his 40-year career in the field making documentaries for National Geographic. Today was a day that many will never forget.
On the final day of our expedition, we crossed to the western side of the Galapagos archipelago on board National Geographic Islander II. Last, but not least, we visited the youngest islands of the archipelago. With ages of only 500,000 to 700,000 years, they are the babies of the Galapagos, in geological time. Their location at the upwelling zone of the Cromwell current makes this one of the most productive areas in the Galapagos. We started our day with an early whale-watching activity, while heading to Fernandina Island. We anchored at Punta Vicente Roca, where we started with an amazing walk; here we encountered the biggest population of marine iguanas in the archipelago. To conclude the morning activities, we explored the marine life of Fernandina. In the afternoon we had a spectacular Zodiac ride along the coast of Isabela, around the “mouth” of this seahorse-shaped island. We encountered a couple of orcas and dolphins to finish the day.
Joining us on any expedition means signing up for adventure; and the reward for your curiosity is inevitable—the most exhilarating experience of pure discovery possible.
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