When journeying through the blue, without land to fix our minds, National Geographic Orion continued making way through the waters of the South Pacific. As the sun rose and our guests leaned against the rail, eager to be the first to see our next destination, the island of Makatea came into view. At first it was a bit jarring, simply because it had been so long since we had been near an island with any elevation, but we soon came to appreciate the caves strewn throughout the cliffs that faced the sea.
While some guests took to diving to swim through the coral channels, the majority headed to land to explore. Though small, Makatea was once home to a phosphate mine, and the remnants of it remain as a rustic museum to that era. With eyes towards the trees, our naturalists lead hikes gazing upwards in search of endemic birds, but without a doubt the highlight was when we reached our final destination of the island. A limestone cave with an unforgettable channel of fresh water greeted our guests. While some pointed their cameras in search of the perfect way to frame the natural beauty, others searched to cool themselves in the moving waters. There is no perfect way to end such a trip as we have had, but splashing around a limestone cavern certainly comes close.
