National Geographic Orion arrived in the Port of Gisborne, or “Gizzy” as the locals call it, for a wonderful day exploring the northeast region of Aotearoa New Zealand. Guests explored the city by bike and visited the Gisborne Arboretum, wineries, and a sheep station. The family who owns and operates the sheep station showed visitors the process of sheering, explained how they use the land sustainably, and Matt, who runs the farm with his father, demonstrated how to herd the sheep with his dogs. Matt has six herding dogs that he has developed unique whistles for - telling each dog to herd to the left, right, front, or back – collectively working to move hundreds of sheep from paddock to paddock. Our travels through Gisborne were truly unique and gave guests a glimpse into daily life in Aotearoa New Zealand.
12/8/2024
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National Geographic Orion
Campbell Island
We couldn’t believe our luck this morning with clear skies over flat, calm waters within Perseverance Harbor. Were we really still at Campbell Island? Seven souls braved the adventurous hike up Mount Honey with all prepared for a challenging climb, and none were disappointed with the achievement of reaching the top and slip-sliding back down again. Most hikers took the boardwalk up to the albatross colony on Col Lyall and were rewarded with beautiful visits among nesting birds, unperturbed by the presence of visitors. The rest of us enjoyed the harbor from Zodiacs, a prime position for spotting the endemic Campbell Island teal, New Zealand fur seal and sea lion, and the megaherbs in bloom around the shoreline. True to the forecast, the weather closed in on us late in the morning, so we hunkered down and braved back out into the ocean, setting sail for Enderby Island where we hope to shelter this evening.
