Captain Cook Cruises Fiji have named May’ Marine Month’ as its small ship, MS Caledonian Sky, welcomes esteemed marine biologist guest lecturers and guests onboard to participate in hands-on coral reef regeneration on the beautiful Tivua private island.
Dr Anne Hoggett AM and Dr Lyle Vail AM, joint Directors of the Australian Museum’s world-renowned Lizard Island Research Station (LIRS), will be onboard the seven-night Remote North Discovery Expedition departing May 18, 2024. Together, they develop and manage the internationally renowned coral reef research facility on the northern Great Barrier Reef.
Since starting at LIRS in 1990, the couple has pioneered the study of marine science research activities on the Great Barrier Reef involving leading scientists from around the globe.
Dr Penny Berents is one of Australia’s leading marine scientists and a Senior Fellow at the Australian Museum. She has more than 40 years of experience in research and diving and will be onboard the seven-night Southern Lau Expedition departing May 25, 2024.
Penny is a scuba diving instructor and experienced boat handler and has led many research and educational field trips to estuaries, temperate reefs and coral reefs in Australia and the Pacific, including the Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Sea, Ningaloo, Fiji, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Pohnpei.
Onboard MS Caledonian Sky, the team of Fijian marine biologists is integral to each journey, with guided diving, snorkelling and onboard lectures providing the perfect environment for learning by experience.
Guests can participate in Citizen Science activities onboard, recording fish and coral sightings on the dedicated iNaturalist Captain Cook Cruises marine project platform as the ship journeys through more than 90 reefs and islands across its range of itineraries.
The ‘Buy a Coral, Build a Reef’ project for guests at private Tivua Island has seen thousands of hand-planted coral fragments grow into more mature corals that are then replanted on the reef.
Several of the ship’s multi-day itineraries include visits to Tivua Island, and day-sail opportunities are a great way for mainland visitors to participate in this rewarding Citizen Science initiative.
Speaking about ‘Marine Month’ Captain Cook Cruises Fiji, Executive Chair Alison Haworth West said guests would have an excellent opportunity to learn and personally participate in restoring Fiji and the South Pacific reef systems throughout May and beyond.
“We want to look after our oceans and environment, and involving our guests in that process makes a wonderful difference,” Mrs Haworth West said.
For those looking to travel outside of May, Dr Alison Green, an esteemed marine scientist with more than 30 years of experience, will join the Northern Lau departure on June 8. Dr Green has supported coral reef conservation and management in every coral reef region in the world and has expertise in coral reef fish ecology, monitoring, and designing marine protected areas (MPAs) that benefit both people and nature.
For more, contact your preferred wholesaler or Captain Cook Cruises Fiji directly at www.captaincookcruisesfiji.com