C O N T E N T S

Today we set sail on our Polynesian Expedition with the Marine Expeditions staff welcoming everyone aboard the Akademik Shuleykin - home for eighteen days. In the evening we set sail for some of the most remote and magical islands in the world. After an action packed few hours in the wake of our arrival aboard the Ship, the evening settled into a gentle swell, reminding us that we were underway on our journey across the South Pacific. Having found our cabins, everyone mingled over cocktails in the bar as the introductions began and we started to get to know one another. Geoff led a briefing during which the Marine Expeditions staff were introduced, so we knew where to direct our questions and queries.

As the sun began to set behind Moorea and we cast off our lines, a Tahitian pilot came aboard to guide us from Papeete Harbour into the open sea. We began our journey with a magnificent pastel sky lighting the peaks of Tahiti Nui in our wake.

The lifeboat drill saw us all clambering up the stairway with our life preservers fixed firmly in place and we all had the pleasure of seeing the inside of a lifeboat to give us the full experience. Before dinner, Geoff took us through the Zodiac procedures to ensure our safe arrival at Bora-Bora tomorrow, as well as offering some useful tips on the art of snorkeling, after which we indulged in our first taste of Austin and Rolf's delicious fare. Our long journey and the effects of jetlag set in after dinner and many of us retired to the comforts of our bunks in preparation for our day on Bora-Bora.
 

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There are no rivers on Bora-Bora and there is little soil. Especially on the west the mixture of volcanic debris and coral sand supports abundant vegetation - coconut, pandanus, lime, hibiscus, tiare - while the lower slopes of the interior grow banana, breadfruit, mango, papaya, grapefruit, ironwood and rosewood. The principal village is Vaitape, on the west side. The whole island is 32km around. Three islands define the deep harbour that was once the centre of the volcano. A barrier reef encircles all the islands at a distance from one to two miles. It is broken by a single pass, Teavanui, "The Great Channel".

“Millions upon millions of years ago, when the continents were already formed and the principle features of the earth had been decided, there existed then as now, one aspect of the world that dwarfed all others... a mighty ocean, resting uneasily to the east of the largest continent, a restless ever-changing, gigantic body of water that would later be described as Pacific.”

James A. Michener

A wonderful start to our adventure with a superb day spent experiencing the delights of Bora-Bora. After an early breakfast, the Zodiacs were loaded for the first time and we headed into Vaitape, which proved very sleepy at that hour on a Sunday morning. We had a short time to look around and were then met at the pier by our guides for the day, with an outrigger large enough to carry us all. Everyone was eager to get underway, so we climbed aboard and set out on our tour around the waters of this beautiful island.

Heading north out of Pofai Bay, the waters changed from a deep blue to a shimmering crystal as the warm breeze caressed us in the hot sunshine. Coral patches became apparent beneath the surface, the brilliant colours of the tropical fish stood out against the pale sandy seabed and the peaks of Pahia and Otemanu rose majestically against a clear blue sky. We made our way around Tuarere Point where we had our first taste of the tropical waters of French Polynesia. Everyone was quick to evacuate the outrigger with the prospect of watching Stingrays feeding, and we weren't disappointed. Close to a dozen rays could be seen elegantly propelling themselves through the water, collecting pieces of fish being offered by our guides. They were also joined by a group of Black Tipped Reef Sharks that had decided to take advantage of the spectacle and we had a fascinating view of these graceful predators moving through the water, devouring some of the many brightly coloured fish that were also taking part.

The current was reasonably strong as we loitered in the water, so after a quick relocation we took advantage of this and used the drift to assist us as we snorkelled back towards Taurere Point. The coral garden beneath us was full of colour and life with young Giant Clams embedded in the coral at every glance and fish darting in and out of every hole as we moved past.

Eventually we arrived at our picnic spot on Motu Pitiaau, where we were treated to a traditional Polynesian feast of Breadfruit, Taro, marinated tuna and Ceviché, a raw tuna salad. We were then given a lesson in Polynesian dance with the ladies learning 'the wiggle' and the gentlemen learning a battle cry, as well as a demonstration of how to open a coconut by hand.

Finally, we continued our circumnavigation of the island with some of us returning to Vaitape to look around while others took a final opportunity to enjoy the waters. The snorkellers were rewarded with an 'up close and personal' experience with Sting Rays before we all returned to Shuleykin and made our way out of the bay. Sailing out of French Polynesia, Theresa started the educational program with a lecture on sharks - quite appropriate after today's close encounter.
 

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Bora-Bora has been called one of the most beautiful islands in the world. For the early Polynesians, it was a place of exile for outcasts. Cook found it 'difficult to access', he came to Bora-Bora to recover Bougainville's anchor. Darwin, in the Beagle, came to study the local barrier reef structure; his diagram of Bora-Bora illustrated his theory of the formation of coral reefs. In 1942, the U.S. Navy chose the island as its central Pacific fuelling and staging base. The island's barrier reef, with only a single pass, forms a deep and secure harbour.

“Awfully nice man here tonight… telling us all about the South Sea Islands till I was sick with desire to go there; beautiful places, green forever; perfect climate; perfect shapes of men and women, with red flowers in their hair; and nothing to do but study oratory and etiquette, sit in the sun and pick up the fruits as they fall.”

Robert Louis Stevenson
(letter of spring 1875)

After a wonderful sunrise across the South Pacific, yesterday turned into a beautiful day with the temperatures soaring as the hot tropical sun beat down upon our decks. The day was filled with activities, starting after breakfast with Geoff's ship tours. Starting on the bridge, we investigated the operations of the ship to gain a better understanding of the efforts required to take us from place to place. We also had the opportunity to look around the engine room, feeling the searing heat that our engineers endure as part of their daily regime.

Later in the morning, Paul gave us the first lecture of the day, tracing the geological evolution of the many islands we will be visiting on our journey. He discussed the volcanic origins, the development of coral reefs which form a protective barrier to many of these land masses, as well as the movement of these formations within the bodies of water that are their homes. It provided us with a fascinating and informative introduction to the geology of the region.

Capitalising on the superb weather, we were treated to a BBQ on the stern deck at lunchtime, with Austin and Rolf venturing from the galley to enjoy the sun with us. The afternoon saw the continuation of our lecture program with Jeff discussing the desolate life of seabirds in the South Pacific. We were introduced to some of the birds we are likely to see throughout our journey as we learned about the survival tactics that are used to ensure their existence in what is essentially a great watery desert.

As a good lead into Theresa's lecture, we were treated to a delicious snack of Sushi in the afternoon and everyone was keen to sample the delicious fresh tuna caught in Tahiti. Theresa then discussed the magnificent tropical fish that inhabit the waters we are travelling through. She looked at the use of colour across species, the various shapes and evolutionary adaptations which have developed over time to give these creatures their advantages in the water. We will be looking out for these as we visit the islands on our itinerary.

As the sun set over the bow we gathered in the bar for our briefing where Geoff discussed the Cook Islands and more specifically, the following day's destination, Aitutaki.
 

Aitutaki had a pioneering role in Pacific aviation as a stopping point in Tasman Empire Airline's "Coral Route". Back in the 1950's, TEAL, the predecessor to Air New Zealand, flew a route across the Pacific on an Auckland - Suva (Fiji) - Apia (Western Samoa) - Aitutaki - Papeete (Tahiti) route.

“You never enjoy the world aright, till the sea itself floweth in your veins, till you are clothed with the heavens and crowned with the stars.”

Thomas Traherne

We were greeted by a troupe of Polynesian performers who welcomed us with traditional music and dance, a spectacular introduction to the culture of this region. Everyone felt their feet tapping and their hips wiggling to the pulsating beat of the mahogany drums and we were eager to participate when invited by the dancers to join in.

Once the festivities were over some of us took the opportunity to indulge our passion for shopping, while others ventured to the post office to ensure that everyone at home was made suitably jealous of our whereabouts. Eventually everyone climbed aboard the bus and our guide Terry commenced our tour of the island. Starting in Arutanga, we headed north as Terry battled with the P.A. aboard the bus, finally giving up and joining us inside the bus to discuss the economy, politics, flora and fauna of the island.

We made our way through the village of Vaipeka to the northern tip of the island where we had a chance to see the airstrip built by American forces during World War II before meeting the boats which were to take us to One Foot Island, our lunch destination. After a short ride to Tapuaetai, the Polynesian name for One Foot Island, we enjoyed a picnic lunch under the cover of a thatched hut as the tropical rain fell with a vengeance. One of our local boat drivers, named Ru, entertained us with the legend surrounding the naming of One Foot Island, as well as the origin of the many coconut trees on Aitutaki and the eels kiss.

The afternoon ended with a short snorkelling stop where we were fortunate to see some of the fish Theresa discussed in her lecture, including Angelfish, Triggerfish, Puffer Fish and a magnificent electric blue starfish hidden amongst the coral. Finally our day came to an end and we set sail for Palmerston, with a special guest on board, Rev. William Marsters. During the evening recap and briefing we enjoyed the unique opportunity to listen to the Reverend's stories and songs outlining the history of Palmerston, as well as his answers to many of our questions.
 

Shipwrecks are relatively common on Palmerston Island, with a least nine in the last hundred years. Several sandbanks around the lagoon are named for the ships wrecked on them. Part of the shipping hazard is due to the low profile of the island, but the island was also incorrectly charted on maritime maps until 1969. The old church was built from the timbers of the French vessel La Tour D'Auvergne, wrecked in 1913. Sunday services are announced by the ringing of an old ship's bell.

“There are to be no strangers on Palmerston.”

William Masters

Our day at Palmerston Atoll was a great success, with everyone enjoying our time with this small and fascinating community in the glorious South Pacific sunshine. Our approach to the atoll after breakfast gave us a good chance to view some of the outer islands before reaching the entrance to the narrow boat passage at the west of Palmerston Island. From the deck of Shuleykin it was difficult to discern any signs of life ashore beyond the heavy covering of coconut palms that lined the beach. We soon saw a boat coming towards us, carrying a group of islanders who acted as our pilots to guide the Zodiacs through the tight passage into the centre of the reef.

The welcome ashore was wonderful with seemingly every resident of Palmerston gathered to greet us. Once we had all assembled, the mayor, George Marsters made things official with prayers and a brief speech welcoming us and wishing us a safe journey. We were also treated to a traditional hymn beautifully sung by the island choir, the tone of which was reminiscent of many different musical styles to be heard throughout South East Asia and the South Pacific.

Once the formalities were over we had the chance to explore the island and a number of us were adopted by some of the many Marsters, who acted as our own personal tour guides. Considering the compactness of the island, there proved a wealth of sights to visit as we gained an insight into the lives of Palmerston's residents. Some of us climbed to the highest point on the island - a heady 4m above sea level - while others visited the tiny schoolroom. We saw the graves of many generations of Marsters as well as the unmarked cemetery of the workers who were brought to the island during it's early years to help establish the settlement.

Many of us dropped in on the Palmerston Yacht Club where we enjoyed chilled coconut milk with our hosts. Shopping was also on the agenda with a great selection of handicrafts on offer. Many of us returned to the ship wearing Palmerston Island t-shirts while others made purchases of coconut shell curios or beautiful wooden bowls and utensils made by the islanders hands. We shared a delicious bar-b-que lunch under the shade of the tall coconut trees, where we had the opportunity to make more friends surrounded by smiling faces and giggling children.

Later in the afternoon, many of us indulged in the snorkelling trip to Tom's Island on the southern tip of the atoll. Apart from the array of tropical fish on offer, we also discovered an enormous Moray Eel hiding in a cavern within the coral, ferociously bearing his teeth at anyone who came too close. The sparkling crystal waters made for a wonderful adventure beneath the surface.

Before departing this island paradise some of us were fortunate enough to take part in the Pacific Green Sea Turtle rescue program which has been set up by Bill Marsters. After each selecting and naming a juvenile turtle, we were able to release them into the lagoon in the hope that the helping hand they have received since hatching will set them in good stead for survival in the wild. Finally our day ashore was over and we said farewell to this unique island and set our course for Niue.
 

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The only settlement on Palmerston Atoll is on Home Island, located on the west side of the lagoon. Although the three branches of the family live on three separate plots of land, the twenty or so timber houses are clustered together in what is essentially one village. Sports are very popular, with families divided into two, not three teams. The teams' names are the Warriors and the Peacemakers, reflecting the sense of humour common to the islanders.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

St. Augustine (354-430)