Kaoha nui from Lindblad National Geographic Orion.
Today we arrived at 6:00 a.m. and to greet us was the Garden Isle of the Marquesas, Hiva Oa. Hiva Oa is also known to the local people of this land as the main structural beam of the house of the ancient gods. In Marquesan mythology, it was said that the islands of the Marquesas were the structural foundation of a sacred house put together by the gods. Each island had an important part to play in terms of representing the harmony and sacredness of the Marquesan people and their livelihood.
To start off the day we commenced with a 6:00 a.m. snorkel just as the sun rose on the horizon. The main attraction being the “Magic carpets” of the ocean, the majestic manta ray.
All you could hear from the safety boats were the squeals and screams of excited guests in the water as these royal animals of the sea glided by.
