Wild Edge of the Pacific: Voyage 1 - Fiji to Chatham Islands

In Fiji, a South Sea paradise both on land and beneath the dazzling waters, we board the 110-passenger Clipper Odyssey, a superb vessel for our explorations. Two days in the Kermadecs reveal astonishing natural wonders with an incredibly high rate of endemism. We cruise rocky shores and hidden inlets by Zodiac to witness many of the 21 species of indigenous birds, including 14 species of seabirds, and visit the world’s
only breeding ground for the white-necked petrel. The chance to snorkel in these sub-tropical waters allows us to keep an eye out for the resident spotted black grouper — gentle giants whose friendly curiosity is the result of a highly protected environment.

Rotorua, on the North Island of New Zealand, offers a fantastic display of geothermal dramatics. This was the first settlement of the Maori and our visit to a local village gives us the chance to witness their superb culture and artistic heritage. The stunning, low-lying Chatham Islands are a highlight of both voyages. Pristine landscapes and temperate forests shelter unique botanicals and two of the rarest birds on the planet, the Chatham Island black robin and shore plover. Here, too, is the nesting ground for the world’s remaining 11,000 Chatham albatross. During our time
here we learn about the history and culture of the Moriori people who settled the islands more than 1,000 years ago.

Join us as we embark on our inaugural voyages to the Wild Edge of the Pacific—an experience that is sure to be nothing less than extraordinary.

Itinerary:

Day 1 - USA
Independent evening flight from USA to Fiji. Day lost crossing the International Date Line.

Day 2 - Nadi, Viti Levu, Fiji
Arrive Nadi and check into our hotel for the morning at leisure. After lunch we board catamarans and tour the beautiful Mamanuca Islands. Meandering through this volcanic archipelago we view idyllic islands surrounded by coral reefs and enter startlingly blue lagoons. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 3 - Nadi / Lautoka / Embark Clipper Odyssey
Following the morning at leisure and lunch at our hotel, we set out for Viti Levu’s western, “sunshine coast.” Along the way, we visit the Garden of the Sleeping Giants, started by the actor Raymond Burr in 1977, and showcasing more than 2,000 varieties of orchids. At the traditional Vei Sei Sei village we enjoy a kava ceremony, then stop for magnificent island views at Vudu Lookout. Embark the Clipper Odyssey in Lautoka and set sail in the evening.

Day 4 - Kadavu Island
Enjoy a morning of swimming and snorkeling off this rugged, volcanic isle. Spectacular underwater gardens of hard and soft corals, multiple varieties of nudibranchs, and 850 species of fish make the aquamarine waters of this lesser-visited island legendary. Or search with our ornithologist for the Kadavu shining parrot, Kadavu honeyeater, and Kadavu fantail.

Day 5-6 - At Sea
During our cruise southward, our lecturers introduce us to the natural wonders that await us during a two-day exploration of the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand’s largest and most remote nature and marine reserve. Tiny specks in a vast ocean, these 13 volcanic isles are among the very few island groups in the subtropical southern hemisphere. Isolated and seldom-visited, they are distinguished by rugged coastlines and volcanic peaks which are home to an incredible array of botanicals and wildlife, especially birds—the southern Kermadecs boast some of the highest concentrations of breeding seabirds in the world. The waters surrounding the islands shelter both temperate and tropical marine environments which support 145 species of fish. We arrive off the coast of Raoul Island in the late afternoon of December 2.

Day 7 - Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
Raoul, the largest and northernmost island of the group, is mountainous, features three volcanic craters, and is the only Kermadec Island covered with forest. It is also the only one of the Kermadecs that is inhabited—by a handful of permanent residents who man the Raoul Island meteorological and radio station—and the only island to permit landings in the Kermadecs.

Twenty-one indigenous species of birds breed here, including 14 species of seabirds—sooty terns, brown and white-capped noddies, Kermadec and black-winged petrels, red-tailed tropicbirds, and masked boobies among them. The island is also home to one of the rarest plants in the world, the hebe breviracemosa. During our time here we go ashore for exploratory walks amid stunning scenery then cruise the shores and rocky islets by Zodiac, witnessing some of the most pristine habitat on the planet. Colorful gorgonian sea fans grow in the surrounding clear waters and snorkelers keep an eye out for the resident gentle giant spotted black groupers.

Day 8 - Macauley & Curtis Islands
We divide our Zodiac exploration today between Macauley and Curtis Islands which are still active volcanoes. Both islands are home to vast numbers of breeding seabirds, including populations of little shearwaters and black-winged petrels. Macauley is the only breeding place on the planet of the endemic white-necked petrel.

Day 9 - At Sea
We continue our southbound voyage today, highlighted by lectures on New Zealand and its Maori culture.

Day 10 - Tauranga, New Zealand / Rotorua
This morning our ship comes alongside in Tauranga and we set out by motorcoach for Rotorua, renowned for its intense geothermal activity. Here we follow wooden boardwalks among the myriad geysers, hot springs, steam vents, and mud pools of Whakarewarewa Thermal Village. Maoris first settled the area in the 14th century, and Rotorua prides itself as the cultural capital of New Zealand. Our visit to the Rotorua Museum and to a Maori village in the Ohinemutu region lends insight into the fascinating Maori history, culture, and superb traditional wood-carving arts.

Day 11 - Gisborne
Gisborne sits along the sunny eastern coast of the North Island, the site of the first European landing place in New Zealand—Captain Cook stepped ashore here in 1769. The surrounding hillsides are covered with vineyards and orchards of kiwifruit and citrus and our tour of the region highlights wineries, the arboretum, and stunning coastal coves and beaches.

Day 12 - At Sea
As we cruise away from the mainland and head southeast, our lecturers enlighten us on the natural and cultural history of the far-flung Chatham Islands and their stupendous array of flora and fauna. The 18 species of birds unique to the islands alone—including the Chatham Island black robin and Chatham Island pigeon, among the world’s rarest birds—make the wild Chathams a wonderland for nature lovers and a place of pilgrimage for birders.

The islands were first settled by the Moriori people, believed to have traveled originally from Polynesia via New Zealand around 1,000 years ago. Diseases contracted from European settlers arriving in the late 18th century and conflicts ensuing from the arrival of the Maori people in 1835 diminished the Moriori people to extinction. The last full-blooded Moriori died on Chatham Island in 1933.

Day 13 - Chatham Island
This morning we go ashore at Kaingaroa on the northeastern corner of the island at the historic landing site of the first Europeans. We may see several endemic plants here, including the Chatham Island forget-me-not, and the hebe and sow thistle. We board local coaches and set out for an island drive through temperate forests, to lagoons and inland lakes, and to the Hapupu National Historic Reserve, one of only two such reserves in New Zealand. Hapupu is a small area of karaka trees, brought to Chatham by the Moriori from New Zealand. The seed kernel was an important carbohydrate source and the Moriori cultivated the trees in groves throughout the island. A walk here brings us to ancient dendroglyphs, Moriori carvings in the bark of the karaka, a silent testament to the Chathams first residents.

We follow the coast to Matarakau to view the nesting place of both Pitt Island and Chatham Island shags. After a lunch of local specialties we continue to Waitangi, the main settlement on the island, where those who wish may return to the ship which has positioned here. Others will drive through farmlands to Awatotara for a bush walk to search for the endemic Chatham Island gerygone and Chatham Island pigeon. We return to Waitangi and the ship for dinner and overnight.

Day 14 - Pitt Island
Early this morning we arrive at low-lying Pitt—the first inhabited island to see the sunrise each day. It is also home to the easternmost house in the world, and to the nikau palm which is the farthest point from the equator of a naturally growing palm tree. The endemic Pitt Island shag makes its home along the rocky shores, and just this past spring, 20 Chatham Island snipe were released on the island. Expedition stops by Zodiac take us around the island and we watch for the Chatham petrel and the very rare magenta petrel. In the afternoon Zodiacs bring us close to The Pyramid, a huge triangular wedge of rock, for a thrilling close-up look at the only breeding place of the world’s remaining 11,000 Chatham albatross.

Day 15 - Chatham Island / Disembark Clipper Odyssey / Auckland / USA
Disembark this morning and transfer to the airport for your flight to Auckland and homeward. For passengers continuing on to Voyage II, please see the following itinerary for details.

NOTE: Due to variable weather conditions in the Chatham Islands, landings and excursions may vary.

What's Included:

• Accommodations in hotels and on board Clipper Odyssey as outlined in the itinerary
• All onboard meals; all group meals on land
• Group transfers
• Services of the expedition staff, including lectures, briefings, slide/film shows
• All group activities and excursions
• Landing and port fees
• All gratuities
• Pre- and post-voyage extensions include all of the above.

What's Not Included:

• All air transportation
• Excess baggage charges
• Airport arrival and departure taxes
• Transfers for independent arrivals and departures
• Passport and/or visa fees
• Travel insurance
• Items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar charges, alcoholic beverages, e-mail/fax/ telephone charges
• Scuba diving fees and equipment where required

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