Guam to Chile Blog Post 10, first half finished

 The video produced by Seabourn of the first half of our voyage is found at:

https://player.vimeo.com/progressive_redirect/playback/1013388327/rendition/1080p/file.mp4?loc=external&signature=dff4d1faa965586a6355356c7ab0d97e40c2020f3b84913240ff8dd3578dd5b5

 

You may play or download the video.

Guam to Chile Blog Post 9

 Guam to Chile – Blog Post 9

September 22 – At Sea between Lautoka and Vulaga

September 23 – Vulaga, Lau Group, Fiji

Seabourn Pursuit arrived off the reef entrance to Vulaga Atoll about 0300 and maintained station until sunrise at 0600.  The ship moved closer to the reef entrance, zodiacs and submersibles were launched and at 0700 the first trips ashore started, with the expedition team leader and three Fijian guides headed to the village for ceremonial kava and permission to enter the village and cruise the waters of the lagoon.  At 0730, Patrick departed on a kayak excursion and at 0800 guests were starting ashore for a wet landing in the lagoon and a roughly one mile walk to the village where there were dances, tours, and opportunities to shop for native handicrafts.  Julie participated in that excursion.

Reef entrance to Vulaga Lagoon

Rock formation in the lagoon

Coral formations at 100 feet deep

The lagoon has dozens of the mushroom rocks

Eagle Ray from Submersible

Meanwhile, Patrick was kayaking in the lagoon among the limestone/karst eroded pinnacles which looked like mushrooms in many cases.  The lagoon is popular with cruising sailboats, there were five anchored in various places around the lagoon.

At the end of the 2-hour kayak expedition, Patrick was ferried back to the Seabourn Pursuit for another dive outside the reef on one of the submersibles  This trip had many more fish visible than in previous excursions, and we were able to identify 21 separate species in the videos and photos  The trip was notable for diving to 130 meters and for the relatively rough seas encountered when boarding and disembarking the submersible itself, along with the wet zodiac ride back to the ship.

Julie reported a good visit to the village, with dances, shopping and even a discussion on what life is like on an atoll with only a monthly supply ship carrying mail and staples.

In the afternoon there were two lectures, one on wildlife conservation, and the second on whale conservation.

Seabourn Pursuit departed Vulaga shortly after 1300 and headed for a technical stop in Tonga early on September 24 to drop off the tour guides and the Fijian government officials we carried from Lautoka.

September 24, 2024 – First Time

Lectures today included one on ancient ferns, one on phytoplankton, another on the evolution of the modern naturalist (from shotguns to smart phones), and finally one on the impacts of plastic pollutions in our oceans and current mitigation strategies for that plastic pollution.

Today we cross the International Date Line eastward, so we will set our clocks from GMT+12 to GMT-11, effectively gaining a day. That means we experience September 24 for a second time.

September 24, 2024 – Second Time, At Sea

Lectures today include one on Gaugin’s art and Tahiti, discussions on Longitude and the importance of accurate time measurement for mariners before the advent of GPS, etc, another lecture on the impact of the Challenger Expedition on underwater exploration, and finally, a lecture on the human story, from being hunter/gatherers to AI and what might be next.

September 25, 2024 – At Sea Enroute Papeete

As Seabourn Pursuit continued the voyage to Papeete we had more lectures to fill the day, as well as fun activities. The lectures included one on the geography of French Polynesia, one on Polynesian Sea Turtles and the first of two lectures on HMAV (Her Majesty’s Armed Vessel) Bounty, the mutiny, the relation between Fletcher Christian and Bligh and how one decision led to death and the other to life.

September 26, 2024 – At Sea Enroute Papeete

The final day at sea had the last set of lectures for this segment of the trip.  The most interesting lecture was the second part of the Bligh/Christian story following the mutiny, where William Bligh ends up a Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy, and Fletcher Christian ends up dead.  In a few days we will be at Pitcairn Island, where some of the mutineers landed and finally perished.  If the weather cooperates, we will get ashore.

September 27, 2024 - Arrive Papeete

 

 

 

Guam to Chile - Blog Post 8

September 20, 2024

At Sea between Vanuatu and Fiji

We had the normal range of lectures and conversations with the expedition team, which included nudibranches (soft bodied gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after the larval stage), seed dispersal in the Pacific and basic climatology.  Patrick and Miriam also attended a sunset Caviar and Champagne reception on the stern with ship’s officers and expedition team members for Diamond and Diamond Elite Seabourn Club members.  There are about 25 of us on board.  This gave us another opportunity to meet new people on board.

September 21, 2024

Landfall in Fiji occurred about 1000 local time when Seabourn Pursuit approached the reef, escorted by spotted dolphins cavorting around the bulbous bow.  The ship entered Navulu Passage reef entrance and proceeded some 28 nm inside the barrier reef surrounding the island of Viti Levu to the berth at Lautoka, Fiji. 

The approach to Vita Levu - Lautoka

Fiji gained independence from Great Britain in October 1970, but the British influence is still present including right hand drive vehicles.  Fiji has become a popular tourist destination, with tourism supplanting sugar cane as a major economic driver.  There were many yachts anchored all over the lagoon. Small cruise ships were also at anchor.

The east side of the island has a number of five star resorts at Denarau Island, just a short drive from Nadi, just an hour drive from Lautoka.

Seabourn had an included tour of a traditional Fijian village, with dances and kava, a walk through an orchid preserve and a stop for shopping in Nadi, the largest town.

At the Fijian village, long pants were the norm, since Fijian tradition requires knees to be covered, especially for women, hats were removed and we went to a large tent with chairs to watch the traditional dancing outside the church in the village.  Since missionaries arrived in Fiji, Christianity has become a dominant faith among the Fijian people, although all faiths are welcome.  This dominance has resulted in stores being closed on Sundays, and closed early on Saturday.  The dances and rituals we observed are a blend of traditional Fijian and modern day dances and music.  

Presenting the kava to the “chiefs”

Women’s Dance in front of church

Ceremonial Chief’s House

The warrior dance

The dancing was preceded by a traditional kava ceremony where two male guests were selected to represent the “tribe” visiting the village.  After the ceremony, Patrick also tasted the Fiji Kava, much weaker than Vanuatu, and not nearly as disgusting in taste or texture.

The village has also preserved the traditional thatched roof house of the chief, now used only for ceremonial purposes.  The chiefs house is modern and many Fijian houses are equipped with air conditioning, TV’s, washing machines, etc.  Most of the power comes from hydroelectric, although outlying villages depend on solar power.

The second stop was at the “Garden of the Sleeping Giant”, a nature preserve with many orchids, as well as other tropical plants.  The preserve was started by Raymond Burr, of Perry Mason and Ironsides fame.  Raymond Burr was well respected and loved by the Fijian people and he funded many scholarships for local people in addition to starting the preserve.  The “Sleeping Giant” refers to the outlines on the hills above that resemble the face and bodies of two sleeping people.

Orchid

Blue Orchid

Jade Vine

Red Ginger

Anthurium

The final stop of the tour was in the town of Nadi, at one of the few stores open after 4pm.  The stores had a wide variety of tourist items, none of which we needed.  On the drive we passed Hindu Temples, Moslem Mosques and many churches of all denominations, although the largest denomination is Methodist.

Returning to the ship after dark, all four buses arrived at the same time to be greeted by a massed ship’s company, with a red carpet, champagne, waving flags and “Dancing Queen” played and sung as we walked between the crew members on either side of the red carpet and boarded Seabourn Pursuit.  The ship had a late departure, casting off the mooring lines at 2200 for the 343 nm passage to our next port, Vulaga Island, Fiji.  We have now traveled 3750 nm since departing Guam.

 

Guam to Chile Blog Post 7

 Guam to Chile – Blog Post 7

September 17, 2024

Departing Honiara on Guam at 1800, Seabourn Pursuit proceeded east once more for the 600 nm voyage to Espiritu Santo, in Vanuatu.  Our destination was the town of Luganville.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

The route from Guadalcanal to Luganville, Vanuatu

After leaving Honiara, we were now in the Solomon Sea.  This area was named after the Solomon Islands from the legendary biblical land of Ophir, which the Spanish were searching for on their first voyage in 1568.  The land of Ophir was reputed to be the source of Solomon’s wealth.  The Solomon Sea includes the New Britain Trench which reaches a depth of nearly 30,000 feet in the New Britain subduction zone.

The weather continued to be somewhat rough with winds of 20-30 knots and seas to 3 meters, which made for an uncomfortable ride.

The lectures today included ones on the culture of Vanuatu, connecting to wilderness, kayaking history, and coral reefs, why are they disappearing.

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Seabourn Pursuit made a leisurely approach into Luganville, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu which turned out to be a mistake.  The ship docked by 1100, and only then informed by local officials that due to biosecurity regulations the ship would have to leave by 3:30 pm, rather than 6:00 pm.  This is due to an infestation of the Rhinoceros Beetle in Vanuatu, which is decimating coconut palms and other crops.  The beetles swarm at night, are attracted to light and therefore all ships must leave well before dusk to avoid transporting more beetles to other islands.  The beetles have, despite expensive eradication measures, gradually spread to many Pacific islands, with significant economic impact.

During WWII, Luganville was a major military installation.  At the end of the war, instead of shipping the war materials back to the states, those materials were just dumped into the ocean.  Not acceptable today, but that decision has contributed significantly to diving and snorkeling tourism today.  The ship passed close to “Million Dollar Point”, referring to the values of the wrecks scuttled there.

That meant all afternoon activities were cancelled, including Patrick’s Submersible dive on the wreck of the President Coolidge, as well of Miriam’s excursion to a demonstration of firewalking.  The President Coolidge was a converted liner used as a troopship that navigated poorly and was hit by US mines in the channel protecting Luganville.  All 5000 people on board got off safely, but the ship slid down the sloping beach and now rests on it’s side in 20-70 meters of water.

 The Seabourn Pursuit crew made some quick adjustments and Patrick, Miriam and Julie were all able to go to the Runsuc Village demonstration of dances, firewalking, sand painting, kava making, and cooking. 

Making Kava

Cooking Spinach and Tapioca in Bamboo

The young dancers were delightful

Preparing the firewalk

The chief doing sand painting

The attractive woven mats used everywhere

The chief starting his firewalk on
the hot stones

 Pentecost Island in Vanuatu is also known for the practice of land diving headfirst off bamboo towers 20-30 meters tall with local vines tied around their feet and touching just their head to the ground.  The contests are only done in certain seasons when the liana vines are flexible enough, so we did not get to see that. Patrick tasted the kava, which we watched being made and which made dishwater appealing as a beverage, both from taste and appearance.  Although no submersible trips were made, it was still an enjoyable day.  The ship managed to depart on the revised schedule at 3:30 and started the voyage to our next destination, some 600+ nm away in Lautoka, Fiji

Guam to Chile - Blog Post 6

September 14, 15 2024 At Sea between Pohnpei and Bakawari, Papua New Guinea

Departing Pohnpei about 1930, Seabourn Pursuit continued south overnight.  The wind and swell were on the beam, with the seas about 10 feet at 9 second period, so the ship had moderate roll motions.  This wave height is typical for the Pacific Ocean, which has an average wave height of 3 meters.

The sunrise was spectacular once again and we had no rain all day.  At 1400 we held the Equator crossing ceremony and my sister, Julie, being a Polliwog, was inducted during the ceremony into being a Shellback, so we now had permission from King Neptune to cross the equator with no Polliwogs on board.

Lectures today included one on Seabirds and another on mangrove swamps.

September 15, 2024 – At Sea

September 16, 2024

The Seabourn Pursuit took up position off Bakawari Island, Papua New Guinea at 0600.  

Bakawari Island lies next to Bougainville Island
Papau New Guinea

The ship was cleared by the local authorities about 0700 and Patrick headed off for a Kayak excursion.  At 0830, other guests were shuttled ashore in color groups and were treated to a folkloric performance by three local groups on Bakawari Island.  The kayak tour finished just in time to be delivered to the beach for the performance.

Dancing at Bakawari Island

Some of the bamboo flutes used by the performers

Native canoes fishing

Coral formation while kayaking

Native Canoe

By 1200, all guests were back on board and Seabourn Pursuit headed for Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, our next destination.  Our route takes the ship down the “Slot”, through Bougainville Straits and past Savo Island before docking at Honiara.

The area we are transiting is larger than we expected.  The distance from Bakawari Island to Honiara, Guadalcanal is 335 NM.  To make that distance overnight means Seabourn Pursuit has to average more than 15 knots.  Fortunately the seas and wind are favorable.

One of the reasons for making this cruise is the opportunity to visit locations in which my father served while in the USN in WWII. 

This morning, with calm seas and sunny skies, we are approaching Savo Island and will pass by the final resting place of the USS Astoria, which sank following a fierce night battle just off Savo Island, only two days after the USMC landed at Red Beach on Guadalcanal.  The night of August 9, 1942, a night attack by the Japanese navy caught the allies off guard.  Four heavy cruisers were sunk, three US and one Australian.  Three cruisers were sunk in just a few minutes between 0230 and 0300.  The USS Astoria did not sink immediately, but was badly damaged.  The crew initially abandoned ship, but later 350 crew returned to try and save the ship.  My father was one of those who returned to the ship.  He told us about jumping off the bow initially, and returning to collect the bodies of those killed and preparing them for burial by sewing the corpses into hammocks while eating stewed tomatoes since the galleys were unusable and on fire.  Initially we were skeptical of some aspects of that story, but when we saw the same story in other eyewitness accounts, we were convinced he had survived a horrific experience.

However, the crews’ efforts were in vain, as underwater explosions in the bow area fatally damaged USS Astoria (my father was aft at that time).  The ship was abandoned once again and at 1215 that day, August 9, 1942 the USS Astoria listed 30 degrees, then capsized and sank stern first in 2800 feet of water about 2 miles from Savo Island.  More than 247 sailors perished and another 250 were wounded.  It was the worst defeat at sea for the US Navy, excluding Pearl Harbor.  The USS Astoria was rediscovered by Paul Allen in 2015, in 2800 feet of water, with the bow missing.

The bridge display as we were at closest point to Astoria

Last known phot of Astoria, one day before sinking

Photo of Astoria remains by Paul Allen

Savo Island

We wer fortunate to be on the bridge of Seabourn Pursuit when we passed just 2.85 nm from the location of the USS Astoria.  We observed several minutes of silence in memory of the hundreds of navy personnel who died in that action on both the Astoria and the other three ships.

My father was then reassigned to the destroyer USS Blue.  That ship was torpedoed on August 22, 1942 and scuttled on August 23, 1942, after unsuccessful attempts to save her.  My father also survived that sinking.

USS Blue - DD-387

The area between Savo Island and Guadalcanal has been named Iron Bottom Sound, since more than 50 allied and Japanese ships were sunk in the 7 month Guadalcanal campaign.  Iron Bottom Sound is considered a sacred place due to all the people who perished and whose remains went to the bottom.  Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands campaigns marked the beginning of the successful, but bloody island hopping strategy which the Allies used to eventually defeat Japan.

The Battle of Savo Island was also a turning point for the US and it’s allies in that the Japanese failed to destroy the troop transports and supply ships lying off of Red Beach, just a few miles from the Savo Island battle, instead withdrawing after destroying the four heavy cruisers.  The pattern of tactical victory but strategic mistake would persist throughout the war.

Seabourn Pursuit docked at the container port in Honiara, Guadalcanal at 1100, and by 1140 we were on a bus tour of the Eastern Battlefields of the Guadalcanal campaign.  

Honiara is the capital of the Solomon Islands, a sprawling independent nation with more than 95 major islands and a total population of more than 700,000.  Honiara has a population of about 65,000.  This island nation is being impacted by climate change, with sea levels rising 8 mm per year, more than the average worldwide. The evidence of WWII is still present, with significant amounts of unexploded munitions still being discovered 82 years later.

The first tour stop was at Red Beach, where the USMC landed on August 7, 1942, with little opposition.  That was soon to change as the USMC took control of Henderson field (our second stop) and set up defensive perimeters, including one at “Bloody Ridge”, our third stop of the tour.  We finished the tour with visits to the Japanese War Memorial and the the US War Memorial.  The Guadalcanal took seven months to achieve victory, with more than 7,000 Allied deaths and more than 19,000 Japanese deaths.

Monument at Red Beach

Red Beach

Memorial Park at Henderson Field

View from Bloody Ridge

Monument at Bloody Ridge

Japanese War Memorial

View of Savo Island from US Memorial

Battle of Savo Island at Memorial

List of US Ships sunk at Guadalcanal

At 1800, Seabourn Pursuit cast off the lines and continued the journey in Melanesia.  Our next port of call is Luganville, Espiritu Santo.