Captain Cook Cruises Marks Marine Month in May
Fiji’s expedition cruise specialists Captain Cook Cruises Fiji has named May ‘Marine Month’, as small ship MS Caledonian Sky’s seven-night voyages to the Lau archipelago welcome esteemed marine biologist guest lecturers onboard. Guests can play their part in hands-on coral reef regeneration on the beautiful Tivua private island.
Dr Anne Hoggett AM and Dr Lyle Vail AM are joint directors of the Australian Museum’s world-renowned Lizard Island Research Station (LIRS).
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 all parts of the globe. Anne and Lyle will be onboard the seven-night Remote North Discovery Expedition departing May 18, 2024. Dr Penny Berents is one of Australia’s leading marine scientists and a Senior fellow at the Australian Museum with more than 40 years’ experience in research and diving.
Dr Berents 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.
She would be onboard the seven-night Southern Lau Expedition departing May 25, 2024
Onboard MS Caledonian Sky, the team of Fijian marine biologists is integral to each journey.
Guided diving, snorkelling and onboard lectures provide the perfect environment for learning by experience.
Guests enjoy up-close and personal encounters with marine life as the ship journeys through more than 90 reefs and islands across its range of itineraries.
Guests can get involved in Citizen Science activities onboard, recording fish and coral sightings on the dedicated iNaturalist Captain Cook Cruises marine project platform.
The ‘Buy a Coral, Build a Reef’ project for guests at the private Tivua Island has seen thousands of hand-planted coral fragments grow into more mature corals that are then replanted on the reef.
Visits to Tivua Island are included on several of the ship’s multi-day itineraries, while day-sail opportunities are a great way for visitors to the mainland to take part in this rewarding Citizen Science initiative.