AussieBoyTX

I don't have experience on Raiatea. Moorea is known for its shark dives -- there are some operators that feed the sharks -- but reputable ones don't. On PG, we didn't see sharks and the dives weren't that spectacular. In your case, Maybe I'd do Raiatea just for something different. As for Rangiroa & Fakarava, how much time do you have and how are you traveling? If the weather cooperates, Fakarava South & North are a day each. Fakarava South is basically the single tidal drift dive into the atoll. There's not a whole lot going on outside the water if you're actually staying on the South side. When I was there, there was a single resort and the ruins of the dynasty that eventually moved to Tahiti. Much more going on on the North side and depending on where you stay, there are small villages with restaurants, but still the dives we were offered were the drifts into and out of the atoll. We did the drift dive in, had a two hour surface interval while the tide changed and then did the drift out. If you have time, both are among the best dives in the world and maybe you'd want to repeat them. I'd definitely do the South Pass again. Similarly in Rangiroa, all of the diving centers on the Tiputa pass. Drift in / drift out, left & right sides. We stayed two days with AM & PM dives and thought it was worth it.

I thought of the diving on PG as something to do -- rather than a great diving experience. The sites were near the ship, which certainly was good in that our trips to the dive sites were quite short -- always less than ten minutes. But they also were the best that the islands had to offer. Just for example, we dove at Toopua in Bora Bora. I've been there several times and it can be a an excellent place to see mantas and other rays. On this day with PG, the currents were not favorable and the water was murky (which we've also experienced). The other operator decided to abandon the dive and find another site. Also be aware that most of PG's dive customers are novice or infrequent divers. Of the thirty-plus divers on board, perhaps six were PADI AOW of higher. The sites were picked with that in mind and that also limited our bottom time since we all began to surface once the first diver ran low. Even so, the guides were good and we were grouped with reasonably like experience divers, never in groups larger than six and usually smaller. We got in first and got out last, so the shortest dive I had was 45 minutes, though there was a bit of bottom time waiting around under the boat. A bad day diving in FP is better than a good day in many other places. I'd just say that if you're coming to FP for diving, set your expectations accordingly. Now, if I could comment on Rangiroa & Fakarava -- both are spectacular! I would just note two things: 1) All operators I've been with in FP take certifications very seriously and do the dive planning based on your certification. At Rangiroa, Six Passengers had dives for CMAS 1,2 & 3 star certifications. CMAS 1 star is equivalent to PADI Open Water. 2 star to PADI Rescue. I don't know the PADI equivalent for 3 star, but it must be a professional level. All this to say the PADI OW divers had a dive profile set at 60 feet and missed most of the Tiputa pass. We were in the second group. I don't know what the max depth planned was, but mine was around 100 feet. Excellent dive. There was a third deeper group that saw what we saw, but also saw some dolphins, so we had a small bit of remorse about that. 2) Fakarava South Pass is worth the entire trip to FP on its own. Make sure your operator will definitely do that dive, as it is a full day expedition from the north side, where you're probably staying. Also, the operator we used (Dive Spirit Fakarava) only took CMAS 2 star or higher on their South Pass trips. Max depth was 93 feet and dive time was 45 minutes plus. Note that CMAS can have different deco definitions than PADI. I never went into deco, but spent more than ten minutes of the dive with a less than three minute NDT. A diver with more conservative settings than mine would have been in a deco situation. The Fakarava North Pass dive was also spectacular -- we started in blue water, not being able to see anything and leveled out at 100 feet. Within minutes we were sucked into the atoll and saw all the sharks, fish and coral. Very impressive.

South Georgia was my favorite part of the trip, not only because of the massive penguin & seal colonies, but also touring the whaling station at Grytviken. It would be so easy for me to have spent the entire cruise there.

Yes, there's not a lot of Ponant discussion on Cruise Critic. But -- there are a few of us who are always happy to talk. Maybe there's a thread you could start or join so we can help get you through the wait. 😎 On our trip to Antarctica on Lyrial, there were several solo female guests, both French & non-French. We met several of them on our daily programs.

Sorry to hear that. There was a significant accident last year and I know some cruises stopped doing the horizontal falls because of it. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-31/horizontal-falls-tour-boat-crash-maritime-safety/101112852

It's "only" four hours further... 😱🤯

Monday, September 4, 2023 Today was a cultural deep dive, and it started before the clock even hit 7:00 am. We met the Arraluli people, the Traditional Owners of Freshwater Cove, for a Welcome to Country ceremony. The ochre paint they used to anoint us meant more than just a simple greeting; it was an invitation to share in their spiritual and cultural heritage. We even hiked up to see some of their ancient art caves. Got back just in time to rush up to the Sun Deck for a short-lived attempt at sailing—short-lived 'cause the wind wasn't having it. Anyways, I indulged in the Ponant burger, which lived up to its reputation as the ultimate comfort food. The afternoon was for the adrenaline junkies among us. Ten of us braved the waters to Ruby Falls, climbing up the rocks for a croc-free freshwater swim that felt like heaven. The ride back? Well, let's just say it was a wet and wild adventure. Just when we thought we were done for the day, the captain called us up for a Champagne sunset sail, and boy, did Le Ponant show off, hitting a brisk 12 knots with sails fully unfurled. Tomorrow? We're tackling the mythical Horizontal Falls at Talbot Bay. And trust me, we're all here for it.

Sunday, September 3, 2023 Waking up to the surreal hues of Raft Point (Ngumbirri) was like stepping into a painting. The cliffs glowed in impossible shades of orange, and we got an up-close look at the reef's super-resilient corals—our guide dubbed them "supercorals." With food indulgence guilt hanging over me, I just snacked on shrimp gyoza before we cruised deep into the Sale River. Found this unexpected Eden—a freshwater hole tucked into a rainforest—and trust me, nothing ever felt as refreshing. Once back on Le Ponant, it was recap time in the lounge, where everyone shared their day's insights before we all sat down to another gourmet meal. Barramundi and lime creme caramel? Oh, yes! But I'm already buzzing for tomorrow; we're meeting local Indigenous artists and possibly diving into another secret swimming spot. How do these days keep topping themselves?

Saturday, September 2, 2023 Today was an absolute rollercoaster of tides and wildlife at Montgomery Reef. We hit the waters in Zodiacs after a heavenly eggs Benedict breakfast, zooming through the 20-nautical mile round trip. Thanks to the super-moon, the tides were nuts, rising a whopping 12 meters! We got up close and personal with reef sharks, turtles, and eagle rays as the rising tide literally lifted us over the coral. But the real jaw-dropper was a massive crocodile sunning itself on an island. We took a breather for some soft drinks and then raced the receding tide back to the ship. Lunch was low-key—a club sandwich and some wine before heading back out to witness the almost surreal spectacle of the reef "rising" from the ocean during low tide. As the sun dipped below the horizon, we rescued some "stranded sailors" (read: our cocktail-setup crew) from a sandbar and headed back to a VIP dinner invite from the Captain himself. Exquisite food, a sunset toast, and the promise of sails going up tomorrow—seriously, could this get any better?

Summaries for the pictures "helpfully" provided by ChatGPT Friday, September 1, 2023 We kicked off our journey flying into the idyllic Kuri Bay on a retro Grumman Mallard, with awe-inspiring vistas of Australia's rugged coastline below us. The moment we landed, we were treated like royalty by the team at Paspaley Pearls, who not only fed us an opulent three-course lunch but also gave us an up-close look at their intriguing pearling process. But the real cherry on top? Setting foot on Le Ponant. We were met with warm smiles and Champagne, and a surprise room upgrade to a Mistral Junior Suite made us feel even more at home. Capped off the day with a moonlit dinner on deck, followed by some crucial safety briefings to gear us up for the expeditions that lay ahead. Couldn't have asked for a better start!

Thursday, September 7, 2023 We woke to find the sails were raised as we continued towards the Lacapede Islands. We had a leisurely morning — breakfast (with eggs Benetict, of course), a detailed lecture on the meteorology of tropical cyclones. The lecture was well attended, which surprised me a little. Then lunch. There were great choices, but it was also my last chance for the Ponant Burger, this cruise, and as I say, it’s never a bad decision. During lunch, we arrived at the Lacapede Islands. The first thing I noticed was not that the islands were mostly white sand jutting out of the water, nor was it the hundreds of brown boobies surounding the ship. Rather, it was the strong 4G Telstra cellular service, which seemed odd. We weren’t all that excited about the Zodiac ride, but it was the last of the trip, so off we went. It was fine. Yes, there are thousands of brown boobies and other birds, such as pelicans, sea eagles and all of the marine birds you’d expect. What was more interesting was the cove, which was filled with sea turtles, a few reef sharks, a lemon shark and two saltwater crocodiles. That made for some great sightings. We made it back to Le Ponant quite a bit before sunset and had time to clean up before sundown Champagne on the Sun Deck, followed by cocktails in the lounge. Some of us went back to the Sun Deck to watch the International Space Station pass overhead. Although I have an app that tells me each time the ISS passes overhead, this is only the fourth time in eight years that I’ve been able to see it! Since we were steaming to Broome, it was quite windy and dinner was served inside — this meant that the grandiose plan to have a single table for all of us to sit at failed and we were seated at three tables of six inside. We were offered a beetroot borscht (yes, the soup), asparagus with goat’s cheese, and seared tuna. For dessert, I had chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream. All courses were delicious. There was great conversation and reminiscing about our trip. We lingered for a while and as we were preparing to leave, the crew surprised us with a birthday cake for one of us. It was a delacate hazlenut and there was enough for all of us to have a small slice. After that, we all decided to go to bed. I don’t think any of us stayed up for a nightcap. Friday, September 8, 2023 For those of us up early, we saw the Broome harbor pilot board, followed by a tug boat to help keep Le Ponant back from the pier during docking, as the tide tried to push us into it. After docking there was time for a final breakfast before we were called to the Sun Deck for disembarkation. Most of the crew we saw regularly were there to wish us well. We were struck that our Captain’s thank you seemed particularly heartfelt and that really underscored all the time we spent with him over the week. A bus was ready to take most of us to the airport for flights to Perth and a couple of us to hotels to enjoy another couple of days before returning home. As I sit in my hotel in Perth, scrolling through photos, I'm reminded of how this week has been a mix of contrasts that somehow blended perfectly. I mean, where else can you go from spotting ancient indigenous art one day to seeing saltwater crocs the next, all while enjoying some top-notch eggs Benedict in the morning? This wasn't a typical cruise; it was more like a personalized journey with 16 other like-minded souls. We got the luxury of fine dining and plush accommodations, sure, but what made this trip truly special were those unique experiences. Whether it was the adrenaline rush from our Zodiac adventures, the serene moments on Silica Beach, or the educational tidbits from the lectures, this trip had it all. And let's not forget the crew. The warm applause during their introduction wasn't just polite clapping; it was genuine gratitude for their hard work. Hearing about the ship's history, especially from crew members who've been a part of it, gave the journey an added layer of depth. All in all, this trip with Le Ponant offered a little bit of everything—comfort, adventure, and a hefty dose of learning. It's a week I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 We’re making our way towards Broome now and had a fairly long sail overnight to Hidden Island. This meant we could have a leisurely breakfast (again with a perfectly prepared eggs Benedict), followed by a Zodiac tour departing at 10 am. Honestly, I had low expectations for the tour, but I was proven wrong! We had lots of animal sightings in the shallow water, starting with a pod of Bottlenose dolphins that stayed with us for a few minutes. Then, we saw a small Black Tip reef shark right at the water’s edge. As we worked our way into the channel separating the islands, we found a three meter long saltater crocodile floating apparently docilely on the surface. However, it wasn’t actually staying still — it was working its way towards us very slowly — perhaps just checking us out, or maybe just letting us know who’s the boss. We rounded out the Zodiac tour seeing a pair of Eagle rays and watching whirlpools form as the tide rolled in. Our guides would also note that we saw lots of raptors, including Osprey and White-Bellied Eagle, and pelagic birds, including Shearwaters and Brown Boobies. We returned in time for lunch. In the heat of the day, it was better for us to eat inside and we had a leisurely lunch. Another wonderful fish was offered, but again, the Ponant Burger is never a bad choice. I had half of a club sandwich and some strawberry sorbet. In the early afternoon, Le Ponant moved to the other side of hidden island and we were invited for a Zodiac landing at Silica Beach. The beach is fairly unique in the Kimberley with extremely fine, pure white silica sand. It’s extremely striking against the ochre-colored Kimberley rocks and it seems impossible to have this lone white sand deposit here. We arrived at the beach, finding it pristine, with only a couple of footprints from the Ponant advance team who had set up a tent and drinks ready for us. The beach was gorgeous and lived up to its fame — the only damper for those inclined was the water was a bit cloudy, making it unsafe to swim. Still, we enjoyed the beach and the cocktails and some played a game before we returned back to the ship at 5:30 pm. This night was our final gala night and the introduction of the crew. I love not having the gala on the final night and think this is more fun and relaxing than having to deal with a long dinner and evening wear and trying to pack it all away before the morning disembarkation. We began with a farewell cocktail with our Captain and the introduction of the crew — all thirty-two crew members! Even on this small ship, aside from the officers, hotel and sail staff, there were a few we had not seen, including the engineering and kitchen staff. Of course, everyone got enthusiastic applause, but there was more energy for our hard-working restaurant and bar staff and our housekeepers and especially for our nurse, who came with us on all the excursions with her two backpacks of emergency gear, was first to start a dance and always had a smile for us. On a somber note, our Captain took a moment to mention that three crew members currently on board were among those captured during Le Ponant's 2008 run-in with Somali pirates. For those unfamiliar with that darker chapter in the ship's history, it occurred on April 4, 2008, when the ship was seized off the coast of Somalia. A ransom was eventually paid for the crew's and ship’s release, and French commandos later recaptured six of the pirates and some of the ransom. This incident has since contributed to heightened international efforts to combat piracy. After the introductions, nobody was in a hurry to go to dinner, but we did eventually go to start the gala dinner. The Captain’s Table was inside and the weather was kind of iffy, with some choosing inside and others out. I saw my French friend was at the Captain’s Table. He was quite pleased to have been invited and dressed appropriately, setting the standard for the rest of us. We actually began outdoors to enjoy our watermelon soup amuse bouche, followed by reef fish and fennel. Then we felt a bit uncomfortable in the wind, so went inside for simply and perfectly prepared filet of beef, followed by Pavlova for dessert. Our conversation was too animated to end at dinner and many of us adjourned to the lounge to share stories — many of them involving travel in Africa twenty or even forty years ago. Nonetheless, we made it to bed before midnight. Tomorrow, a day at sea (and a Zodiac tour of the Lacapede Islands).

🤯

Tuesday, September 5, 2023 We woke this morning at Talbot Bay for a day of adventure! We did get to sleep in a bit and left at 7:30 am to tour the larger gap of the Horizontal Falls. We rode in the rough water as it came in to fill the bay. After all three Zodiacs had a few tries, we moved away from the falls and watched the “fast boat” go back & forth through the falls at high speed The fast boat was on our agenda later in the day, so we went to explore the striking landscape — and also the rather large operations of the company that offers seaplane transfers from Broome, Darwin & Derby to the fast boat service. Four Cessna Caravans were regularly bringing new guests for the experience. They also have overnight accommodation and offer 24 hour experiences priced at what looks like 2,000 Australian dollars per person. It was making our stay on Le Ponant seem quite reasonably priced! As we worked our way back to the ship, we came across a Lemon shark patrolling the shore. This delayed us only a bit and we arrived back on board at 9:30. Surprisingly, we had a gap in the schedule and were left to our own to enjoy coffee or left to our own devices as we waited for our next Horizontal Falls experience at noon. At 11:50 a fast boat arrived at our marina and all seventeen guests and several crew members boarded for the exhilarating high-speed ride through the upper gap of the falls. The tide had reversed, so the experience was different than what we had seen earlier. I guess those who booked the 24-hour experience got to try the falls several different ways. Midway through the experience, our fast boat skipper paused to share the deep cultural and spiritual significance of the Horizontal Falls to the indigenous peoples of the region, including the Dambimangari and Wunambal Gaambera. According to local Dreamtime stories, the landscape around these tidal phenomena was carved by the Rainbow Serpent, a powerful ancestral being. The churning waters themselves are thought to represent the Serpent's passage through the land, continually shaping and influencing the world around it. For the indigenous people, the Horizontal Falls are not just a marvel of nature, but a living, sacred site that encapsulates the creative and destructive powers of the Dreamtime. This perspective added a profound layer to what was already a breathtaking experience. A couple more runs through the falls and we were back to Le Ponant half an hour later for lunch! I was hungry and had a small piece of tempura battered fish, tuna sashimi, chicken satay and salted caramel ice cream. Incredibly it was already well past two and we went upstairs to watch the ship sail out of Talbot Bay. After weaving our way through poorly sounded waterways and islands, we broke through a narrow passage into open water and this allowed the captain to raise sail again and we were once again under wind power. I went to see this from the bridge and had half an hour with the captain as he walked me through all of the ship’s systems, all of which had been recently refitted at Le Ponant’s recent overhaul. Some guests stayed on the sun deck all afternoon, others took a rest and we all convened back for our daily briefing at 6:30. We enjoyed cocktails and we all went to dinner late. Each night, we’ve moved more tables together so we now have only two. I believe the goal is to fit us all at one table by Thursday… Dinner was well done, I had a pumpkin & ginger soup, curried lentils, roast duck and lemon meringue tart. Prawns and scallops were also on offer. Some retired to the lounge for a nightcap, but being already well past my bedtime, I went off to bed, looking forward to a very late 10 am Zodiac tour of Hidden Island / Banggoon.

I clicked through and can confirm that is indeed us! 🤣 Check this afternoon Western Australia time and you should see her at sail.

Oh, no, the food choices were appealing. We were offered a grilled local fish and an attractive salad -- but sometimes a burger is the only thing that will do and the Ponant burger does not disappoint.

... Easy part first. We're in the end of the winter season and temperatures are starting to rise -- we're in the low 90s in the afternoons now, but humidity is okay. As soon as the sun sets the temps quickly settle into very comfortable 70s. I'm at risk of trivializing this, but Australia has a long history of colonial disrespect of indigenous people, culture and religion, so now almost anywhere in the country what we experienced is normal. The nature of the disrespect could be any one of a number of things, but imagery of dead people (which is included in much of the indigenous art) is extremely sensitive to them. Not respecting the religious significance of the art is also sensitive. It is possible that with an elder's permission, one could get permission for the appropriate pictures, but that person / people were not with us. The remainder is a cut and paste from advice given to me on this topic: When Indigenous communities refer to "disrespect" in the context of their sacred sites, art, or traditions, they often mean a range of behaviors and actions that disregard or undermine the cultural, spiritual, and historical significance of these elements. This could include: 1. **Vandalism**: Physically damaging or defacing sacred sites, art, or other culturally significant locations and objects. 2. **Inappropriate Behavior**: Acting in a manner that is considered disrespectful according to the cultural norms of the Indigenous community, which can include entering restricted areas without permission or touching sacred objects. 3. **Unpermitted Photography or Filming**: Taking photos or videos where it's expressly prohibited or without explicit permission. 4. **Cultural Appropriation**: Misusing or trivializing cultural symbols, art, language, or religious markers for non-cultural or commercial purposes. 5. **Littering**: Leaving waste in areas that are considered sacred or significant. 6. **Ignoring Guidelines or Instructions**: Disobeying rules or not listening to community leaders, guides, or signs that provide information on how to conduct oneself in these areas. 7. **Commercial Exploitation**: Using sacred or culturally significant artifacts, designs, or lore for commercial gain without permission. 8. **Intrusive Questioning**: Asking overly personal or inappropriate questions about religious or cultural practices. 9. **Lack of Recognition**: Not acknowledging the Indigenous community's historical, spiritual, and cultural connection to the land or artifacts. The idea of "respect" in these contexts can be a very complex issue and may be deeply ingrained in a community's spiritual beliefs and historical experience, so it's essential to be as informed and respectful as possible when interacting with these communities and their cultural heritage.

Monday, September 4, 2023 Today offered something for everyone, including an even earlier start at 6:50 am, where we made the short Zodiac ride to Freshwater Cove to meet the Arraluli people. They are members of the Wunambal people, and they are the Traditional Owners of the land around Freshwater Cove (also known as Wijingarra Bard Bard in the local language). This means they are the custodians of both the physical area and its spiritual and cultural significance. We began with a Welcome to Country ceremony, where local Indigenous leaders greeted and welcomed us to their land. We were anointed in ochre paint, a traditional medium rich in meaning; each of us was individually welcomed. The ochre signified not just a physical connection to this land, but also resonated with the idea of "bard bard,” ultimately representing sharing in the local dialect. Because of past disrespect by visitors, photography was very restricted. The early start aimed to keep us comfortable as we hiked about a kilometer up a hill to view one of the indigenous art caves. Members of the Arraluli explained the significance of the art and some of the stories associated with it. They wryly noted that some of the vandalism had been caused by their own people who used acrylic paints instead of the traditional earthen dyes and brushes. We returned to the shore still amazed at what we’d seen. We got a quick introduction to some art for sale, a discussion of the solar array they use to keep their refrigeration and lighting running, and what they do in the rainy season — for some, that’s back to their families in Derby, Darwin, or Perth, and for others, it’s work promoting Western Australia tourism. The visit ended with a “tasting” of the fresh water that gave Freshwater Cove its name. Everyone had the opportunity to get their bottles filled and then we returned to Le Ponant. We had intended to complete a leisurely morning — the most strenuous activity being potentially learning about Kimberley birds. Fortunately, we were spared that and the call from the Bridge announced we’d be raising sail momentarily! We all rushed upstairs to the Sun Deck to watch the three mainsails rise. This was very exciting, but the wind was weak & variable, so it was for naught and we soon got “bored” and adjourned to lunch. The lunch choices were appealing, but I went for the ultimate in comfort food on the ship — the Ponant burger. It was very good and could easily be shared by two people. We sat with our French friends and noted that with only seventeen passengers on board, it's easy to share meals and cocktails with everyone multiple times. Still, lunch lingered and we wolfed down a traditional Paris Brest before running to embark on our afternoon adventure. The afternoon was for reasonably fit and active guests, and only ten of us decided to go. Some declined because they knew they'd have difficulty completing the journey, while others abstained due to indulging in food and spirits. Our two Zodiacs worked our way up a Sale River tributary to reach Ruby Falls — one of the most remote seasonal waterfalls in the Kimberley. It was a forty-five-minute ride to reach the falls, and there was a fresh water pool raised slightly above the tributary’s edge — with mullet strangely swimming in it. In the old days (and I don’t just mean pre-COVID in this case), tourists would swim in this pool at the bottom of the falls. However, in 2022, two guides were injured at this pool — the subtext of the article we read to validate our guide’s claims about the incident stated that the crocodile had perhaps acclimated to humans and had begun launching itself at boats in the area! So, we climbed the rocks beside the falls and, for those of us capable, we were rewarded with a beautiful, freshwater swimming hole, sans les crocodiles. Mindful of the tide, we could stay only thirty minutes before we needed to return to our Zodiacs. We had been warned that the return would likely be more rough than our outward journey, and we certainly weren’t lied to. The water was rough, making the 75-minute ride difficult for everyone, especially those of us on the starboard side who got constantly splashed. We returned around 4:15, thinking we had a couple of hours before the next Expedition Briefing; however, the call came from the Bridge inviting us to the Sun Deck for a sunset sail with Champagne. With the change of plans, we watched the crew raise the three mainsails and unfurl the two jibs as we approached sundown. Le Ponant sailed at a brisk twelve knots, and the engine was off. The staff captain invited us to check the controls at the remote bridge. It was a spectacular way to end the day, and our captain said there was promise of another sail tomorrow. Of course, it was not exactly the end of the day — we had cocktails in the lounge, received our expedition briefing for tomorrow, and had dinner inside at Le Diamanté. Some of us went to the lounge for a nightcap, some to the Gift Cabinet for a little shopping, and others to bed — even though we were promised a “late” disembarkation at 7:30 am. Tomorrow is all about adventure, and we're set to experience the awe of Horizontal Falls at Talbot Bay.

I'm not going to help alleviate the confusion, but National Geographic cruises are marketed outside the United States. The cruises with shore excursions included are Smithsonian Journeys and they are marketed only to English speakers, primarily in the US. For example, this trip on Le Dumont d'Urville is similar to yours: A Voyage Along the Great Lakes – with Smithsonian Journeys The Smithsonian Journeys cruises are full of English speakers and aside from included excursions, the main differences are that announcements are made only in English, there are well-known lecturers and there is a native English speaking "fixer" on board to assure guest satisfaction. I reported on the one Smithsonian Journeys cruise we did Norway last year. The tl;dr on that was that we had no complaints and it was a wonderful cruise, but we missed the French. As I went to hunt for the link, I see we discussed this -- it seems like a year ago! All About the Ponant Smithsonian Journeys Cruises (as of August 2022). In their own words, Ponant describes the partnership here: https://us.ponant.com/croisieres/themes/smithsonian-journeys

Sunday, September 3, 2023 We started early today with a 7:00 am Zodiac ride around Raft Point (Ngumbirri). Ngumbirri is home to a significant cultural site and home to the Worrorra people’s ancient rock art. Unfortunately, the site was disrespected by visitors during the COVID pandemic and it has been closed to tourism — our guides suggest, permanently. However, the early light made the mesas glow with a brilliant, seemingly impossible orange. We also got to see the coral reef exposed to the air, as it is for hours at a time every day. There were bright red fans, brain corals, and soft corals. Compared to barrier reefs around the world experiencing stress, this reef seems immune — or as the guide suggested, Kimberley coral is “supercoral.” Having overindulged in the past few days, I opted to skip breakfast and lunch, having only some lovely shrimp gyoza before we set out again to the Sale River. This was a long cruise. We ventured far up the river to where the brackish water turns fresh, leaving our Zodiacs on a sandy beach at the entrance to a small rainforest. We walked no more than 100 meters before we found a creek, that quickly became a stream. Maybe 200 meters after that, it revealed a watering hole filled with refreshing spring water (and no crocodiles). We stayed half an hour or so before making our way back to the Zodiacs. On our way back, we stopped in the shade for drinks and to refill the Zodiacs before we returned to the ship. Though there might not be much to describe, there was plenty to talk about, and we all met in the lounge before the expedition briefing to recap the day. BTW, the expedition briefing was offered solely in English and the hotel manager offered a translation afterwards for the French guests. We had another delightful dinner — starting with iced cauliflower & vegetable soup, followed by a shrimp salad and barramundi. For dessert, I had lime creme caramel and salted caramel ice cream. Tomorrow, we meet Indigenous people of the Dambimangari Country at Freshwater Cove and tour their art. In the afternoon, we have the possibility of another refreshing swimming hole at Wijingarra Bard Bard.

I guess it depends on the definition of a sea day. We have had Zodiac trips every day -- our first time ashore was this afternoon. And we'll probably go ashore tomorrow. After that, we'll continue to explore the Kimberley by Zodiac, but I don't know if we'll get on land again. It's generally not considered safe to go ashore or get in the water, so I'm surprised we even had this. The coffee is all Nespresso. Small pods in the cabin and commercial pods in the bar & restaurant. There are several varieties of Palace des Thés teas inn the cabins.

Ponant calls this a "Barefoot Expedition. For them, this means there is no itinerary set at the moment. We began with the flight to Kuri Bay and end in Broome a week later. Everything in between is determined by the Expedition Leader and Captain based on tides & weather.

On our booking for this cruise, it is highlighted as Open Bar and Gratuities Included at the bottom of the invoice. It used to be featured on the us.ponant.com homepage -- maybe it still is, but I can't check at the moment.

Saturday, September 2, 2023 Today was all about the dramatic tides at Montgomery Reef. After a wonderful breakfast, including perfectly prepared eggs Benedict, we set out in the Zodiacs for the 20 nautical mile round trip. Because of the super-moon, the tide was especially high, expecting to rise 12 meters. Three Zodiacs set off, with five in our Zodiac and another four English-speaking passengers in the Expedition Leader’s Zodiac. The remainder were in the nominally French-speaking Zodiac. We arrived at the outer barrier to the reef a little early and ran aground—only to be lifted up over the reef and sucked into the inner water within a few minutes. As we were pulled over the reef, we saw reef sharks, turtles, an eagle ray, tropical fish, and lots of interesting coral. As we got closer to the island, we could see sandbars being engulfed by the rising water, and because of the strength of this particular tide, it went right up into the mangrove. At the islands, we saw lots of migratory and non-migratory shore & sea birds, and a crocodile that looked three meters long. Our brain-buster was how the non-migratory Caspian Tern got its name. (We learned later that it’s named after the Caspian Sea.) The churning water was cloudy and was raising up huge amounts of protein foam. We stopped for a quick soft drink or juice and headed out before the now lowering tide trapped us at the island. We stopped on the way back to see some migratory birds at two small mangrove islands before arriving back at Le Ponant for a late lunch. I didn’t have much appetite after the hot & long Zodiac ride, so I had a club sandwich and a glass of white wine and took a forty-five-minute rest before embarking to see the low tide. The low tide was also extraordinary. We sat at the edge of the reef as the land seemed to rise out of the water in real time. It felt like an optical illusion for a bit, until it was very obvious that we were now two meters lower than the reef—even with water surging out at us. As it came close to sundown, we headed back to the ship. We took a small diversion to pick up some stranded sailors on a sandbar—no, that was the crew, who had set up for sundown cocktails! We enjoyed the setting sun and made our way back to Le Ponant at dusk to find that we had been invited to the Captain’s Table. We got another hour to rest before cocktails and the Captain’s introduction of the senior crew. After he guided the ship out of its shallow water (we were at six meters of water with a four-meter draft), we joined him at his table for dinner. There were four of us—we were joined by two friends from New South Wales. The gala dinner was spectacular, and we were offered a scallop carpaccio to start, prawns on cabbage and lamb, followed by a very complex chocolate tarte. Dinner ended when the captain politely excused himself to supervise the navigation into our evening stop. Tomorrow, we may even raise the sails!

Friday, September 1, 2023 Today’s the day! We’re off to join Le Ponant at Kuri Bay! We began with a nice breakfast with avocado toast and perfectly poached eggs and the twelve of us met at 9:45 for the very short drive to the airport. At the charter terminal, our spotlessly clean Grumman Mallard was waiting for us — as was an amphibious Cessna Grand Caravan chartered from another local company — as well as the pilot’s parents who stopped by for a quick birthday celebration and fresh coffee. After maybe twenty minutes waiting for the crew to be ready, we all had our bags weighed (20 kg max on this flight, soft sided bags only), got the safety briefing on land and went to the planes. Three of us went on the Cessna and nine on the Mallard. Fortunately, we were in the Mallard group — I would have been hugely disappointed if I had missed out on the Mallard flight. We got a group photo in front of the aircraft and quickly boarded. It was a quick taxi past the oil & gas helicopters, other charter aircraft and the Royal Flying Doctor Service hangars before we entered the runway midfield and took off to the west. Those of us on the right had a great view of Broome and the surrounding countryside as we turned to the northeast and climbed to 9500 feet. The flight was seventy-five minutes with spectacular scenery along the desolate coast, punctuated every so often with small camps or settlements along the coast and some fairly large operation with runway some sixty minutes in. I couldn’t see it well enough to determine if it was perhaps fishing or mining… Or maybe it was Derby — a small town that’s a deep-water port, with a history of pearling & ranching. It’s a gateway to some of the sights of the southern Kimberley. The flight was over too soon, as we arrived at Kuri Bay, with Le Ponant waiting for us in a cove at the Paspaley pearling camp, along with Paspaley’s working boats. Those of us on the right got a spectacular view of Le Ponant as we settled into the water just abeam of the ship. Zodiacs helmed by Expedition Guides arrived to take us ashore and we were at Paspaley’s dock in just a couple of minutes — where we saw last week’s passengers briefly, as they boarded the Zodiacs to take their turn on the Mallard. From there, Paspaley’s crew took good care of us as we spent a few hours in what was effectively a time-burner while we waited for Le Ponant to be readied for our arrival. First, after just a few minutes enjoying ice water with cordial and meeting the guests staying over (three French-speakers, two Americans), we adjourned to a deck overlooking the cove for an extremely leisurely three course lunch. It was delicious! We sat at the end of the table with a French couple of did not speak English and the sole French-speaking Expedition Guide. Great company! We had a first course of various seafood, including pearl meat, prawns and barramundi wings. None of us had, as far as we knew, had eaten pearl meat before — it sells for $300 Australian dollars a kilo — but of course if available in abundance here. The mains were a choice of grilled barramundi or lamb. Both were very well prepared. If every day for the Paspaley team is like this, they eat very well! Dessert was a nice selection of cakes. One member of the team was French-heritage and was able to make sure the French guests were tended to. Also, back at the hotel, two staff members were French, one visiting on a Working Holiday visa. Whether on purpose or not, I thought it was a nice touch to ensure these guests weren’t left adrift. After lunch, we were invited to a short walking tour of the facility and history of Paspaley pearling. The most interesting part to me was that the oyster seeding operations are still performed by Japanese technicians who come for one-year contracts. The Australians are mostly on two-week on and one-week off shifts and many live in Darwin. We also learned that they now have internet — shortly after one of the Australians brought his personal Starlink ground station. Because of the heat, we missed on a longer hike up the hill that would have given us the perfect view of the cove & Le Ponant. The pearling experience ended with the harvest of two oysters for their pearls. We got to see one perfect or near-perfect twelve millimeter pearl and one like-sized, but misshapen pearl. They were very pretty and I’m sure some would have liked to buy one right then! Fortunately, it was then 3:45 and time to head towards our ship. On the way, we saw a brief glimpse of the shy Australian humpback dolphin. At the ship, our Captain and Staff Captain were waiting for us to personally help us off the Zodiac and we were whisked inside to the lounge for cold washcloths and Champagne while we waited for our turn for first Covid formalities and then check-in. Over the years, we’ve met several former Captains of Le Ponant and they all commented that though they loved it, it was a “young man’s ship.” Well, our Captain certainly was not young, so he must have a unique passion for this beautiful ship. We were pleased to find that we’d received a welcome upgrade to the Mistral Junior Suite, giving us just a bit more room and a sofa. Australians will be pleased to know that there is a three-pin Australian power adapter provided. Otherwise, the ship has plenty of Euro and US power points. Then began the expected welcoming grind… After just a few minutes to get a shower — it seemed that we all either chose to clean up or unpack. We went back to the lounge for the Captain’s welcome, Life on Board briefing by the receptionist, then the safety briefing by the Staff Captain and emergency drill. Turns out we all get our life jackets and return to the lounge to wait for further instructions. So far, presentations have been English-only and the French expedition guide simultaneously translated for the French guests who wanted it. We then got a forty-five minute break where we could unpack and then returned to the lounge for a briefing from the Expedition Leader on the expedition aspects of the cruise and the mandatory Zodiac briefing (and liability release). All three guides have ten-plus years experience in environmental tourism. The English-speaking guides are Australian and the French guide is from France, but has lived in New Guinea for ten years. We ended the evening with dinner outdoors at Le Diamant as the moon rose. We started with an asparagus amuse bouche, followed by a cherry tomato & mozzarella salad and very well prepared salmon. For desert, salted caramel ice cream, chocolate mousse and a blueberry panacotta. After that, we headed off to bed after a brief tour of the ship and the “Gift Cabinet (shop) ” Tomorrow, our first day of expeditions at Montgomery Reef — Yowjab — Dambimangari Country… The internet is brutally, if not unpredictably slow, so I expect no pictures until our return.