The overcast skies and slight breeze were somewhat of a change this morning. Every day we have awoke to temperatures easing into the thirties and the sun seemingly waiting in anticipation to rise. But of all mornings for an overcast sky this was perhaps the most fitting: we were at sea and heading north to visit more picture postcard Maldivian atolls.
While at sea onboard National Geographic Orion there is always something happening. Although sunbathing on Deck 6 was perhaps not a good option for this damp and cloudy morning, the presentations on offer in the lounge certainly were. Mark Thiessen, our onboard National Geographic photographer, kicked off the morning with a unique presentation about his experiences documenting James Cameron’s triumphant 2012 Deepsea Challenger expedition. Having watched National Geographic Orion’s onboard ROV dive to 60 metres last night, Mark’s talk really put into perspective the feat of engineering and incredible minds that went into building a submarine that successfully reached 10,908 metres deep.
Adam then continued the deep-sea theme of the morning, but in an altogether different light, with his presentation the Erotica and Exotica of the Deep. After listening to this presentation we were all slightly more informed about what we were actually witnessing during our snorkelling and diving expeditions on these coral idylls of the Indian Ocean.
These snorkelling and diving experiences were due to begin again the next morning, but in true expedition spirit our day at sea was turned into a reef afternoon. Over lunch the clouds began to clear and the sunshine reappeared. Perfect timing considering lunch was a barbeque out on deck! With the sunshine back and a scattering of tranquil Maldivian islands surrounding us it only seemed fitting to make the most of the change in the weather and our fabulous location.
The expedition team and the crew found us the perfect snorkelling and diving spot and for the rest of the afternoon we explored the vibrant reef surrounding this little picture of desert island perfection. The divers enjoyed two dives—one on the outer reef along an impressive coral wall followed by a more leisurely dive on the inner reef. Even for those not so keen on getting in the water there was no shortage of underwater enjoyment. The glass bottom Zodiac was on hand and captained by none other than Tom Ritchie—the most erudite national historian any of us are ever likely to meet.
Indeed the knowledge of the expedition staff has been a highlight of the trip so far. Recap this evening was no different as Mike Greenfelder showed us the plankton species we had been swimming around this afternoon. These microscopic animals go unnoticed by us while we are our snorkelling and diving, but seeing them under a microscope and broadcast on the large screens shone a whole new light on what is an extremely important part of the ocean ecosystem.
Our entire day had been filled with exploration, knowledge, and of course great food. The kitchen onboard National Geographic Orion continues to impress us with every meal and although we didn’t think the meals could get any better, Chef Lothar and his team delivered a gourmet dinner this evening that proved us all wrong.
