ZECO TRAVEL TALK

Longtime Zegrahm Expeditions lecturer and ornithologist, Greg Homel, has been on a long road trip from California to the Yucatan, photographing and filming birds he finds along the way for several field guides. His drive took him along the Gulf Coast of Texas where seabird highlights included whooping cranes, canvasbacks, redheads, American coots, and white pelicans. Among the field species Greg stunningly captured on film were green jays, northern cardinals, golden-fronted woodpeckers, and orange-crowned warblers.

Follow along on Greg’s avian odyssey which will evolve daily, and Greg will be posting photos as Internet access permits. Click here to view photos.

In addition, Audubon Magazine’s online edition features an article about the making of Greg’s newly-released DVD, Introducing the Wonderful Birds of Pico Bonito, an adventure through the wilds of Honduras in search of the lovely cotinga—his prize, after two decades of searching of this elusive Central American rarity. Click here to read about the film.

January 9, 2009 marks the centenary of the “Farthest South” of the Shackleton Nimrod expedition to the South Pole, a round-trip trek on foot of 1,700 miles. The team of four set out on a bright sunny day on October 29, 1908. On November 26 they moved past the last “farthest south” record set by explorer Robert Scott in 1902.

By January 2, 1909, Shackleton was near the breaking point. “I cannot think of failure yet. I must look at the matter sensibly and consider the lives of those who are with me…man can only do his best…” Two days later he wrote, “The end is in sight. We can only go for three more days at the most, for we are weakening rapidly.” They fought through a blizzard on January 4, 5, and 6. On January 7, only 100 miles from the pole, a howling blizzard kept them in their sleeping bags all day. It was the same on January 8. The end of their southern journey began at 4 a.m. on January 9. They left the sledge, tent and food at the camp and took only the Union Jack, a brass cylinder containing stamps and documents to mark their farthest south, camera, glasses, and a compass. Their farthest south was reached at 9 a.m.: 88°23’S, longitude 162°— just 97 miles from the South Pole. (From www.south-pole.com)
Our 2009/2010 Antarctica, South Georgia & The Falkland Islands expeditions visit the site of Sir Shackleton’s grave at Grytviken, South Georgia.

Next year, in 2010, Zegrahm Expeditions will cruise into its 20th year of bringing travelers to the farflung corners of the globe. In that spirit, we invite you to join us on one of two voyages to our most popular destinations as we celebrate this landmark occasion. Four of our founders will be on board, regaling us with historical and humorous tales of life in this fascinating business.

Circumnavigation of South Georgia
Aboard Clipper Adventurer | Oct / Nov 2010
We return to one of the wildest places on Earth to witness the world’s densest concentration of wildlife—thousands of king penguins, more than a million fur and elephants seals, and numerous species of seabirds, including the wandering albatross, the largest of all flying birds.

New Zealand to New Guinea, with Norfolk Island
Aboard Clipper Odyssey | Jan / Feb 2010
This expansive Pacific itinerary takes us from Auckland to Norfolk Island, a first for us. Melanesia, and its wealth of natural and cultural diversity await as we explore New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomons, and Papua New Guinea.

On Thursday, October 30, 2008 CBC-TV premiers a four-part series, The Adventurers, which follows modern-day explorers as they search for vanishing populations and cultures. Zegrahm lecturer and archaeologist, Edmundo Edwards, is the focus of the November 13th episode. Armed with the knowledge that the French Polynesian islands were once the home of thriving native populations—until European diseases tragically wiped them out—Edmundo set out into the interior jungles of Tahiti, Raivavae, and the Marquesas Islands where he discovered a vine-covered realm of stone cities and structures never before seen by the outside world. Program repeats on Thursday, November 20 at 10 p.m. on CBC Newsworld.

In an effort to promote the understanding and preservation of the unique cultural heritage and fragile environments of the remote islands of the Pacific Ocean, Zegrahm lecturer and Explorers Club member Edmundo Edwards of Easter Island, along with Lynn Danaher of Friday Harbor, Washington, have created the Pacific Islands Research Institute (PIRI), a 501c3 non-profit. Joined by Dr. Nancy Sullivan, also an Explorers Club member of Madang, Papua New Guinea, Edmundo established camps and contacts with the local people of the Upper Karawari region of Papua New Guinea—the tribe whose lifestyle and culture they plan to further study. They also completed a study of the remarkable cave paintings in the area. In 2009 they will return to a more remote valley to study and make “first contact” with the Meakambut tribe of hunter-gathers to record and film their rituals, cave paintings, and the everyday life of this pristine culture.

The long-term plan for PIRI is to impart knowledge of the special environments, history, and varied cultures of the Pacific islands through a series of educational programs— including slideshow lectures, documentary films, and photography exhibits. Current efforts are focused on the some of the most remote islands of the Pacific: Raivavae, in the Austral Group, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), and Papua New Guinea. To date, a documentary film about Raivavae and Papua New Guinea is in post-production and they are compiling a collection of more than 8,000 photographs into an ethnographic record of Raivavae and the cave paintings of Papua New Guinea. Edmundo’s 35 years of research on Rapa-Nui will be translated from Spanish, his native tongue, into English. Future plans include offering lecture presentations and film documentation to the general public and school groups with the committed belief that education is the only means toward understanding the importance of preservation and continued research in these remote isolated environments. The PIRI web page is currently under construction but the address will be www.pacificislandsresearchinstitute.org.

For questions, more information or to make a contribution, please call or email Lynn Danaher, President, PIRI @ tel: 360-378-6692 or e-mail: islandlynx@aol.com

At dawn the next morning, a pale moon was heading west, the sun broke through a patchwork of clouds and a rainbow shot out from behind Pitcairn as if to welcome us with open arms. The mood was jubilant—even at 5:30 in the morning as people came up on deck realizing we could not only go ashore, but that Mother Nature herself was in sunny spirits.

Two longboats came out to the starboard side of the Odyssey and we climbed down, about 35 at a time, and sat cross-legged on the broad deck. The vertical cliffs of the island seemed to loom larger as we approached, and we stepped onto a concrete pier next to a large “Welcome to Pitcairn” sign, surrounded by dazzling Bounty Bay. A long uphill walk brought us first to the resting place of the Acadia anchor which now had tangible meaning for us, then to the small town square bordered by Pitcairn’s Post Office, Public Hall, and Seventh Day Adventist church. Everyone was out, hosting folding tables of carvings, stamps, T-shirts, guidebooks, local honey, and handmade soap. We met just about everyone who lives here—including Tom Christian, the oldest surviving member of the Christian family—during our daylong visit, and we were all charmed and delighted by the friendliness, openness and eager exchanges.

We split into small groups to walk and hike this superb natural wonderland covered with lush vegetation, a profusion of flowers, pandanus, banyan, papaya, mango, and guava trees… and just about all of us saw the endemic Pitcairn reed warbler. Sheer cliffs, Christian’s Cave, St. Paul’s Pool, Highest Point, the Pulau School, and Eco Trail were a few of the treks we made during the day. For lunch, all the residents (including the mayor, postmaster, and minister) pitched in at the town square to cook us up a delicious lunch of fried fresh-caught fish and potatoes, salads, and huge wedges of fresh papaya for dessert. Miralda, a singer and guitarist, coaxed three children to stand in front of the Bounty anchor in the square to serenade us with local songs in the Pitkern language.

Before we set off for afternoon walks, we were invited into the church for an island slide presentation and brief singsong with about 12 of the locals who quickly pulled off their aprons to come inside from the square and sing for us. The striking words, the earnest strength of the voices, and the beauty of these rugged faces were a powerful combination and we spilled out into the afternoon sunshine feeling the spirit of community.

When we returned to the Odyssey, some of us headed out for a short dive and snorkel to view the Cornwallis wreck, its large wooden skeletal frame perfectly laid out in the sand—a fitting look into Pitcairn’s past and an perfect ending to a day none of us will ever forget.

Huge anticipation preceded our day on Pitcairn—the easternmost island group in Polynesia—and the place many of us on board this voyage had specifically come to visit. With no natural harbor or surrounding reef to offer guaranteed landing protection, this isolated speck on the map is more often than not inaccessible. But as the moon peeked out from among the patchwork of clouds we dropped anchor on the western, leeward, side of the island, and a longboat came out to greet us with a half-dozen guests—resident Pitcairners—who honored us aboard with their company for dinner and regaled us with history, lore, and their hopes for the future. Excitement for our landing the next morning reached a level of near frenzy!

Earlier in the day, Zegrahm Cofounder, Jack Grove, presented an onboard lecture describing his long association with Pitcairn, which reaches back nearly 25 years. In 1989, on a return visit, when he and fellow staff were scouting landing and dive sites just off the rocky shores, Jack spotted a rusted windlass and, free-diving to take a closer look, he quickly realized he was looking at an uncharted shipwreck… the Acadia, which ran aground on June 5, 1881.

The details of the astonishing story, and of how the Acadia’s anchor was eventually raised, had us all on the edge of our seats in the Odyssey lounge. When Jack found the dead-eye (used on old sailing ships and freighters to hoist lines and/or secure the mast), he brought it up from its sandy resting place to present in person to Millie Flora Christian–the 90-year-old daughter of Phillip Coffin (a surviving crew member on the Acadia) and Mary Jane Warren. In 1943 Millie married Warren Clive Christian, descendant of Fletcher, of Bounty fame.

When the anchor was hoisted onto the hill overlooking Bounty Bay in 1990—on Pitcairn’s bicentenary—Millie Christian came to stand beside Jack at the ceremony and whispered to him: “My father’s ship has finally come home.”

Among our island guests on board the Odyssey this evening was Jacqui Christian, the granddaughter of Millie. Joining Jack and Paulina at dinner she shared her own experiences of life on the island, how she had moved to Australia to become a pharmacist, and of her recent return to Pitcairn with the plans to create a comprehensive Web site to be able to give the outside world accurate information on the nature, history, culture, and lifestyle of her beloved island. When Jack brought out his laptop computer and showed Jacqui his photos from the wreck of the Acadia and the commemoration of the anchor, he was also able to tell her, at long last in person, the words her grandmother had spoken to him 18 years ago. To say she was moved doesn’t dignify the occasion… It was, simply, one of those rare instances when time, place, and distance distill into the present moment… and when personal history can begin its journey through future generations.

NEXT TIME: We all go ashore for the day and discover an amazing world of natural beauty and a welcome that will long be remembered…

Lanky palms, ultramarine waters, soaring peaks, a rich cultural heritage, a celebrated list of visitors-turned-residents–and all of it blended with that French je ne sais quoi…makes Tahiti the perfect beginning and end point for an adventure that will take us counter-clockwise around Polynesia.

We began our first full day driving the island’s outer ring road that follows the dazzling coast and offers incredible inland views of verdant valleys and rugged peaks. Our amicable Tahitian guide studied in New Zealand and returned “home” to share his love for his island with visitors. As we drove he pointed out papaya, breadfruit, banana, and mango trees… truly the fruits of paradise. Papeete, he told us, means “water basket” from the natural spring that the town was built around and to which islanders came with large baskets to carry water home. At the wonderful Museum of Tahiti and her Islands, the exhibits presented a comprehensive look into the five archipelagos of Polynesia whose culture reaches back thousands of years. And the Gauguin Museum displays prints of the prolific painter who lived on Tahiti from 1891-93. We boarded the Clipper Odyssey in the late afternoon and set sail as a spectacular sunset silhouetted the neighboring island of Moorea.

As we approached the Tuamotus, it wasn’t hard to understand how early explorers might have missed them— the tiny coral atolls barely break the surface of the water. We dropped anchor off Fakarava, boarded Zodiacs to shore and were greeted by four lovely young girls whose arms were draped in flower leis… as we bent down to accept the gift around our necks, they kissed our cheek! Dances, drumming, a feast of fresh coconut, fish ceviche, and fresh oysters delighted us. A birding contingent set off to spot numerous species, including both blue and white Pacific egret, and captured both the sounds and sight of the endemic Tuamotu reed warbler, on video—a real coup! Divers did a good test run, and many of us went snorkeling over small corals—spotting football-size spider conch and trocas shells. Read more