Explore & Discover the Phoenix Islands,
Kiribati
June 24-July 15, 2000
We at NAI'A are extremely excited about this project. And it seems from the response to the idea, that many others share our enthusiasm for teaming up science and adventure. If you are interested in joining this journey or others like it, please contact us as soon as possible. The first step is to be sure that you are aware of the details of such and unusual, lengthy and distant trip.
We are planning the journey in conjunction with the New England Aquarium (NEAq) and our aim is to use passenger support and sponsorship to complete not only an exciting diving exploration of the Phoenix Islands but also a scientific and conservation management survey. We are selling only seven berths at $15,000 each (tax deductible). That fee funds the passenger's voyage completely as well as sponsors the space we are providing for four marine researchers and one emergency care doctor (since we are a LONG way from services up there).
We will keep the total number of passengers and scientists on board to 12 maximum. So, this would mean that for your money you will be guaranteed the security of knowing that there will be plenty of extra space and privacy without a full passenger load.
As you can imagine, with a trip as long and as largely mysterious as this one, we need to be sure that passengers are clear on the logistical limitations as well as the potential for unique adventure. Although paying passengers are not obligated in any way to participate in the scientific work on board, they are of course most welcome to participate to the degree they desire during or in between dives. But we do need to be sure that everyone on board shares the same general aims in spirit and attitude of supporting scientific discovery and marine conservation as well as the unbeatable thrill of exploring the great unknown.
If you would like to be a part of this adventure, we would greatly appreciate it if you could send us a brief overview of your diving background, particularly any previous experience on longer ocean voyages. We would also like to know your reason for interest in such a journey and what you expect to gain from it. Please also tell us any relevant extra health risks you may face as we would like to help our charter physician to be fully prepared.
ITINERARY & LOGISTICS
For safety (and due to a good sense of Murphy's Law), we need one week either side of this Phoenix Islands Expedition to prepare NAI'A for the voyage as well as to rest her afterwards in preparation for our following international voyage to Tonga for our Humpback Whale season. The other advantage to some breathing space either side of the trip is that, if all is going well and we find the lost city of Atlantis, sunken treasure or a baitball on the way home, there is the possibility of extending the voyage slightly to make the most of our luck!
Passage time between Fiji and the Phoenix Islands is four and a half to five days. Rather than stop somewhere else on the way up there, we believe it is better to do the longest passage first to give passengers the magic uninterrupted three days to earn their sea legs and get comfortable before we begin making stops. Also, by reaching our furthest destination first, we then have the freedom to either stay there longer if it is blowing our minds or depart for greener pastures on the way back home. For example, two tiny islets pretty much in the middle of nowhere, called Nukulailai and Nurakita, intrigue us greatly.
Our proposed itinerary is:
- Saturday, June 24, early am - Depart Lautoka, Fiji (It's bad luck in sailing circles to start a voyage on a Friday so we could leave after midnight.)
- Thursday, June 29, am - Arrive Carondelet Reef/Nikumaroro (2 diving days)
- Saturday, July 1, am - Arrive McKean (11/2 diving days)
- Sunday July 2, noon - Depart McKean
- Monday, July 3, am - Arrive Kanton (2 diving days, also customs/immigration check in/out)
- Wednesday, July 5, am - Arrive Enderbury (1 diving day)
- Thursday, July 6, am - Arrive Phoenix (1 diving day)
- Friday, July 7, am - Arrive Sydney (1 diving day)
- Saturday, July 8, am - Arrive Birnie (1 diving day)
- Sunday, July 9, am - Arrive Hull (2 days)
- Monday, July 10, p.m. - Depart Phoenix Group
- Saturday, July 15, p.m. - Arrive Lautoka, Fiji (depending on arrival time, it may be preferable to stay on board overnight and disembark on Monday morning, July 16)
Broken down, this plan involves:
- 10 days in ocean passage to and from the Phoenix group;
- 11 days diving;
- Half a day on Kanton doing the paperwork and politics of being a foreign vessel visiting Kiribati (as well as, of course, meeting the locals and finding out what they know about the marine life and potential sites);
- Night-time passages between islands - most requiring between three and six hours traveling, with McKean-Kanton requiring half a day plus one night of travel.
Obviously, this itinerary should remain entirely flexible according to what diving we find and what weather we encounter. As mentioned before, we could depart the group earlier and head to other areas on the way home such as Nukulailai and/or Nurukita. There is the possibility that (at an obvious extra cost) we could extend the trip to, say, 25 days, and still keep to our currently sold NAI'A schedule back in Fiji & Tonga.
As well as the 26 tons of water that NAI'A can carry, the ship's water-maker can supply the fresh water for the duration of the expedition. Some fresh fruit and vegetables will make it 22 days but most fresh produce will be difficult to store and preserve beyond 15 days. Virtually no fresh fruit and vegetables will be available on the Phoenix Islands although fresh seafood should abound and we can bake fresh bread fairly easily. We will have ample freezer and dry-goods storage space for plenty of extra packaged food items.
