The day began with a beautiful sunrise in the open Pacific Ocean. We spent the day sailing toward the Cook Islands on board National Geographic Orion. There was an abundance of food and plenty of time to relax. Our on-board naturalists and cultural specialists educated us about traditional Polynesian navigation and the ways of flying fish. The day ended as it began, with the sun on the horizon. What a day!
6/28/2023
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National Geographic Orion
Beqa, Fiji
Fiji, “the island of smiles,” and Beqa certainly lived up to the name today. We have had incredible weather on our journey so far. The sun was shining today, but the winds were picking up. Fortunately, we were able to get ashore and meet some incredibly friendly locals. We were fortunate enough to be presented with kava. This was followed by a traditional dance performance. The island is famous for its fire walkers. We were told of the history of how individuals are believed to be given the gift of walking on fire, and we observed the incredible feat as they walked barefoot across boiling hot rocks. We strolled around the area and spent time with locals before returning to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon, some of us chose to go on a challenging hike from one side of the island to the other, and all returned with smiles from ear to ear. Our day finished with the captain’s farewell drinks; it was a wonderful finish to an incredible journey that started in French Polynesia and ended in Fiji.