| Cost From: | $6995 |
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| Length: | 15 days |
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| Activity: | Snorkeling, Wildlife & Natural History, Cultural Adventures, Small Ship Cruising |
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This site offers some of the lowest cloud cover which, combined with low humidity, a cleaner atmosphere, and the mobility offered by a ship, results in some of the best observing prospects on the entire eclipse track.J. Anderson—NASA Eclipse Meteorologist
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SPECIAL EVENT
A total solar eclipse is one of nature’s most dramatic phenomena, when the sun, moon, and earth are perfectly aligned and darkness washes over the earth in daylight. We invite you to experience this awesome event aboard the luxurious Paul Gauguin on the turquoise seas of the South Pacific. Our ship gives us the maximum flexibility to maneuver to the ideal viewing position on Eclipse Day and offers every comfort as we journey among Polynesia’s magnificent isles and coral lagoons. Astronomer Alex Filippenko, PhD, one of UC Berkeley’s most popular professors, will accompany us to share his expert knowledge—his 7th eclipse program with us!
Alex Filippenko, PhD, professor of astronomy at UC Berkeley, is a leading authority on supernovae, black holes, galaxies, and cosmology, and is actively working with the Hubble Space Telescope and the Keck telescopes. His team’s discovery of “antigravity” was named “Top Science Breakthrough of 1998” by Science magazine. He has coauthored nearly 560 publications and an award-winning textbook, and has produced video courses with The Teaching Company. Voted “Best Professor” by the UC Berkeley student body an extraordinary six times, Dr. Filippenko was recently named the Carnegie/CASE National Professor of the Year.
From $6995 per person, depending on cabin type
**Airfare is not included in Program Cost unless indicated
July 15-29, 2009
Reading list, click here.
At Tahiti’s flower-bedecked capital, we board our vessel and depart for Huahine, our first anchorage of spectacular white-sand beaches, lush rainforests, and traditional villages.
We explore Aitutaki, a remote “almost-atoll” of coral and volcanic islets, and little-known Suwarrow, a National Heritage Park and true atoll, home to thousands of seabirds and rare species of turtles. Along the way, our guest experts offer presentations on eclipses, pulsars, and exploding stars.
Positioning our ship at the ideal position in the path of totality, we witness almost three and a half minutes of this amazing celestial event (which occurs on July 21 at our location in relation to the International Date Line). The eclipse ends with the dramatic sight of the eclipsed sun sinking into the Polynesian sunset.
As we journey, we learn about reef ecology and hear tales of the early Polynesians whose skill in celestial navigation helped spread their culture across the South Pacific.
Glorious Bora Bora is the quintessential tropical paradise, with a necklace of coral motus (islets), enchanting valleys of hibiscus, and Mt. Otemanu rising up from its center. We journey by catamaran or glass-bottom boat and look for sharks and rays in crystal-clear waters.
With spectacular waterfalls, deep lagoons, and vanilla plantations, Raiatea is an ecological wonderland dotted with ancient temple sites. On Taha’a, our private motu, we can relax, beachcomb, or snorkel along rich coral gardens.
In the turquoise waters surrounding Moorea, with its impossibly green mountains, we discover coves, swim with stingrays, look for pods of wild dolphins, and mingle with the fun-loving locals of this enchanting island. Disembark at Papeete on July 29.
We partner with one of the world’s premiere cruise vessels: the Paul Gauguin, a six-star ship designed specifically for sailing French Polynesia. Our ship offers an extension of the informal environment of the islands, carrying only 330 guests and offering all ocean-view staterooms (more than half with private balconies), a choice of three open-seating dining venues, an extensive spa, and a 1 to 1.5 guest-to-staff ratio that provides a high level of personal attention. The ship’s watersports platform offers easy access to the blue Pacific so we can hop aboard a windsurfer or launch a kayak. The Paul Gauguin has been named one of the “World’s Top-Rated Small Ships” by Condé Nast Traveler readers since 1998.
Note: The hotels and lodges listed above are our signature accommodations for this trip. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
