Awakening to a world of blue, the National Geographic Orion continued its journey through South Pacific waters en route to Flint Island – one of the many small islands that make up the Southern Line Islands. Turning in every direction lent no sight of land, only the occasional sea bird and a sporting flying fish here and there leaping to avert our bow as it split the waves.
It was a day of lessons and lectures, beginning with our naturalist Jimmy White broadening our understanding of marine ecosystems and our need to better understand them in order to make their preservation a reality rather than a fetching dream. Wowing the audience with tales of his free diving with dwarf Minke whales, he brought us as close as one can get to the front line of marine science without getting wet.
Next up was naturalist Ian Bullock, who taught us the wide range and uses of coconuts, from natural remedies and delicious treats to useful tools in building ships and their use in ritual ceremony. Following in the afternoon was our Global Perspectives speaker Tim Severin recalling his recreation of the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts. Ending the day was our cultural specialist Alex Searle describing the origins, importance and variance of the tattoo – beginning in the South Pacific and spreading throughout the world.
