As the sun peeked over the horizon of the beautiful Marquesas islands, National Geographic Orion launched Zodiacs to explore the uninhabited island of Moho Tani. We cruised the coastline of this rarely visited island, and some brave souls went diving below the waves to see manta rays and fish. In the afternoon, guests explored the tikis and meae of Puamau on Hiva Oa. What a day!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 23 May 2023
Moho Tani and Hiva Oa, Marquesas, 5/23/2023, National Geographic Orion
- Aboard the National Geographic Orion
- French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
Adam Maire, Undersea Specialist
Explorers Club Member, Polar Expedition Diver, Naturalist, and Historian, Adam Maire is dedicated to exploring around the globe with a goal of researching, documenting, and teaching others about the beauty, the power and the importance of the earth's...
Read MoreShare Report
Ancient Polynesia: Tuamotu and Marquesas Islands
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
2/25/2025
Read
National Geographic Orion
Takaroa, Tuamotu
We have arrived at the atolls of the Tuamotu Archipelago. This is a completely different landscape from the Marquesas and one that offers plenty of sun, snorkeling, and sharks. In Takaroa we had the opportunity to set up our snorkel platform for the day. We also visited the island. One highlight was the wreck of the SV County of Roxburgh , a four-masted iron ship that wrecked here in 1906. We walked inside the hull and explored its remains, including the footings from the masts and the rusted anchor chain. The other island highlight was a pearl farm where we witnessed the amount of work required to culture the black pearls for which these islands are famous. After dinner, we gathered on the bow – lights off – to learn about the night sky from Master Navigator Tua Pittman.
2/24/2025
Read
National Geographic Orion
Day at Sea
We had an amazing calm day at sea on National Geographic Orion. We had a bittersweet feeling, as we just had some incredible days in the Marquéses Islands, but we also had to say goodbye to this amazing region for a while. The day was filled with very informative presentations from our onboard team of naturalists to educate us on all the incredible things in this part of the world. We had some spinner dolphins pay us a visit on the bow, and the day ended with an incredible dinner and the world-famous crew show.