FACES OF MELANESIA. November 17 December 3, Days Aboard the Caledonian Sky MELANESIA SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS. Utupua. Tikopia.

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1 JUST ANNOUNCED: NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT! FACES OF MELANESIA November 17 December 3, Days Aboard the Caledonian Sky PAPUA NEW GUINEA TROBRIAND Kuyawa Island / Nakwaba Island Port Moresby LAUGHLAN Fergusson Island / Dobu Island D'ENTRECASTEAUX SOUTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN SOLOMON MELANESIA Utupua Espiritu Santo VANUATU SANTA CRUZ Port Vila Tikopia Ambrym Expedition Highlights Join us on an award-winning journey that reveals the extraordinary diversity of Melanesia and its people. Visit idyllic islands and isolated villages to witness time-honored traditions and ceremonies including hypnotic drumming, melodic bamboo panpipes, and elaborately-costumed dancers. Snorkel or dive over pristine coral reefs populated by a variety of tropical fish neon damsels, clownfish, Moorish idols, butterflyfish, delicate seahorses, and brilliantly hued wrasses. Search for striking endemic birds, including the Solomon Island sea eagle, buff-headed coucal, and Melanesian megapode, amidst the lush, tropical vegetation. Sergey Frolov Itinerary... page 2 > Flight Information... page 3 > Ship, Deck Plan & Rates... page 4 > Know Before You Go... page 5 >

2 Itinerary Based on the expeditionary nature of our trips, there may be ongoing enhancements to this itinerary. Giovanna Fasanelli Thursday & Friday, November 17 & 18, 2016 DEPART USA Board your independent overnight flight to Port Moresby. Lose a day crossing the International Date Line. Saturday, November 19 PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA Upon arrival in Port Moresby transfer to the Airways Hotel for an afternoon at leisure. Gather this evening for a welcome dinner and overnight at our hotel. Wednesday, November 23 KUYAWA & NAKWABA, TROBRIAND This morning we visit with the traditional Trobriand islanders of Kuyawa and view energetic, time-honored dances that celebrate fishing and the seasonal yam harvest. Learn about the history of the Kula Ring, a circular pattern of ceremonial trade relationships that binds the islands of Milne Bay and eastern Papua New Guinea together in a long-established network of friendship. These islanders are also renowned for the exquisite quality of their ebony wood carvings, often decorated with mother-of-pearl shell inlays. Enjoy a walk among the villages of Kuyawa before returning to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon we anchor at nearby Nakwaba Island. Snorkel or dive amid kaleidoscopic coral reefs populated by parrotfish, neon damsels, and other brilliantly-hued species. Join naturalists on a walk around the island in search of flying foxes (fruit bats), sulphur-crested cockatoos, and helmeted friarbirds. Sunday, November 20 PORT MORESBY / EMBARK CALEDONIAN SKY Visit the National Museum and Art Gallery with its exceptional collections of primitive art, including Sepik River carvings, Malagan masks, and Trobriand Island fishing vessels. Board the Caledonian Sky in the afternoon. Thursday, November 24 LAUGHLAN Traditional canoe building is a specialty of the Laughlan islanders. In this very remote corner of eastern Papua New Guinea, find hand-crafted seagoing canoes in various stages of construction, with finely tuned hulls of traditional planking lashed with natural sennit fiber cord and caulked with sap. The Monday, November 21 EXPEDITION STOP Numerous small islands dot the southern coast of Papua New Guinea and we make an expedition stop this afternoon for an introductory snorkel or dive over colorful reefs. UTUPUA Shirley Metz Tuesday, November 22 DOBU & FERGUSSON, D ENTRECASTEAUX Today explore these distinctive, jewel-like islands capped by active volcanoes and snorkel or dive in the surrounding marinerich waters. You will also visit a tranquil seaside fishing village and hike to a series of hot springs and bubbling mud pools surrounded by lush vegetation. < 2 >

3 residents here welcome you with a stroll through the village of palm-thatched houses. Enjoy an afternoon snorkel off a pristine sand-bar or an adventurous dive off the outer reef. Friday Sunday, November SOLOMON Over the next three days, explore some of the numerous small islands of the Solomons. We ll snorkel and dive over pristine reefs of hard and soft corals, from delicate seafans to staghorn formations, where colorful sponges, flower-like anemones, and giant tridacna clams edged with iridescent blue mantles flourish. We plan to step ashore on traditional islands to visit with locals and learn about life in this tropical paradise, while nature enthusiasts search the lush vegetation for birds and other wildlife. Monday, November 28 UTUPUA, SANTA CRUZ A lagoon and barrier reef surround the rarely visited island of Utupua where Zodiacs take you down a fjordlike channel. Among the marshy mangrove trees, learn about an ecosystem that is a beehive of biological activity. Enjoy free time to stroll through Nembo to see the villagers prolific gardens, or join a snorkel or dive excursion. Tuesday, November 29 TIKOPIA Tikopia is legendary a remote tropical paradise where traditional customs remain intact. This Polynesian-settled island lies in Melanesia, yet its people are descendants of Tongan and Wallis Island settlers. School children clad in tapa cloth harmonize songs of welcome, followed by enthusiastic dances by the young men of the village. A hike to the crater lake at Tikopia s center may reveal fairy terns, cardinal honeyeaters, and yellowbibbed lories. In the afternoon choose to stroll the lovely beach or snorkel or dive along the fringing reef where you may spot up to 60 species of fish. Wednesday, November 30 ESPIRITU SANTO ISLAND, VANUATU This morning we have three options visit Nekat Village and participate in a traditional kava ceremony; divers may set out on an unforgettable dive over the USS President Coolidge, which sank in 1942, and is encrusted by a tapestry of corals, offering a haven for fishes; or accompany our naturalists on an excursion inland to search for some 50 species of birds, including the very rare mountain starling and thicket warbler, found only at high elevations, the chestnut-bellied kingfisher, and the yellow white-eye. This afternoon, conditions permitting, we snorkel at Million Dollar Point, where the Allies jettisoned large quantities of surplus war material into the sea. Thursday, December 1 AMBRYM Today we are welcomed by palm-leaf-clad dancers with elegantly carved headdresses before exploring traditional Linbul Village. Ambrym is known for its slit-gong drums, some carved from enormous breadfruit tree trunks. Friday, December 2 PORT VILA / DISEMBARK / BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA Disembark this morning for a tour of Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, ending at the airport for your independent flight to Brisbane. Dinner and overnight at our airport hotel. Saturday, December 3 BRISBANE / USA Transfer to the airport this morning for your independent flight to the USA. Combine this voyage with Indonesia, November 3-21, 2016 and save 5% on the cost of both. Or, choose to join our optional pre-voyage extension to Papua New Guinea, November 11-20, Contact our office for details. Flight Information You will need to purchase airfare from your home city/ Port Moresby and Port Vila/Brisbane/home city. Please contact our in-house Air Department for fare quotes, reservations, or other air-related questions. TIKOPIA Jarda Versloot BLYTH S HORNBILL Shirley Metz < 3 >

4 The Caledonian Sky The all-suite 100-guest Caledonian Sky is a spacious, yet intimate, expedition vessel. Refurbished in 2012, her beautifully designed public spaces include a single-seating dining room, a large lounge, elegant bar, enclosed panoramic viewing deck, sun deck, library, and gym. All suites have an ocean view and feature a sitting room, en suite bathroom, flatscreen television, spacious wardrobes, and dressing table. The Caledonian Sky carries a fleet of Zodiacs, available for accessing remote shorelines and islands. Visit for more information about this ship. Deck Plan BRIDGE DECK BRIDGE DECK BRIDGE Outdoor DECK Cafe Outdoor Cafe Outdoor Cafe PROMENADE DECK PROMENADE DECK PROMENADE Salon DECK Salon WC Salon CALEDONIAN DECK CALEDONIAN DECK CASTLE DECK CASTLE DECK Panorama Lounge Sun Deck Bar Panorama Lounge Sun Deck Panorama Bar Lounge Sun Deck Bar WCPromenade Deck Bar Castle Deck Bar Caledonian Deck 343 Lounge Reception Castle Deck Caledonian Deck Lounge Reception CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY 3 Restaurant Doctor Rates CATEGORY 1 $13,980 CATEGORY 3 $15,880 CATEGORY 5 $17,680 CATEGORY 2 $14,980 CATEGORY 4 $16,580 CATEGORY 6 $19,980 Solo Travelers: No single supplement on this expedition! Solo travelers pay the double occupancy rate. INCLUDED: Daily activity options including Zodiac cruises, snorkeling, diving, nature walks, and cultural tours All gratuities All accommodations World-class lecture and expedition team All onboard meals and group meals ashore, including soft drinks, beer, and wine with lunch and dinner All entrance fees, taxes, and landing and port charges Arrival and departure transfers on group dates Gift certificates for recommended expedition gear and reading materials Medical expense coverage and emergency evacuation insurance NOT INCLUDED: Airfare from your home city/port Moresby and Port Vila/Brisbane/ home city Excess baggage charges Airport arrival and departure taxes Transfers for independent arrivals and departures Passport and/or visa fees Travel insurance Items of a personal nature such as laundry, alcoholic beverages, (other than listed at left), and other incidentals /Internet/fax/telephone charges Scuba Diving: Limited to 16 Advanced Open Water (AOW) certified scuba divers. You must complete two open water dives within the 12 months prior to the trip s departure. A 25% per person deposit will secure your space on this expedition. All rates are per person, based on double occupancy, quoted in US dollars, and must be paid in US dollars. Rates and itineraries are subject to change. Please review our Terms & Conditions online at or call our office for a printed copy. < 4 >

5 Featured Leaders Leaders from additional fields of study will join those featured below. Visit to read full leader biographies. MIKE MOORE (EXPEDITION LEADER) A Chicago native, Mike earned both his BS in biology and an MS degree in ecology, ethology, and evolution at the University of Illinois. Since then he has spent 10 years conducting research around the Pacific Rim. Mike s research and extensive travels around the world led him to a career as an expedition leader, taking travelers from the equatorial forests of New Guinea to Alaska s arctic tundra and many places in between. SHIRLEY CAMPBELL Dr. Shirley Campbell is an anthropologist who holds degrees from Stephens College, Missouri and the Australian National University in Canberra. More than three decades of academic research and university teaching have led to a sound knowledge and understanding of many cultures around the world. She has specialized in the anthropology of art, convinced that by understanding the way people represent their ideas through art, a valuable insight into culture and perception is revealed. BRAD CLIMPSON Brad was born in Sydney, Australia and has lived for the last 20 years in North Queensland, on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. He earned a BS in marine biology and zoology at James Cook University, Townsville. With the Great Barrier Reef serving as both playground and laboratory, Brad has developed an intimate knowledge of complex reef systems. Brad began his career aboard expedition ships in the late 1990s and has traveled to such exotic destinations as Fiji, the Maldives, Indonesia, Bermuda, and Hawaii. RICH PAGEN Rich first became enthralled by the wonders of the natural world around the tide pools and forests of his native New York. Since then, he has embarked on a career in conservation biology, including a variety of field biology projects. He has also conducted shipboard surveys for marine mammals and seabirds, as well as tagging studies of sea turtles and pelagic sharks. ECLECTUS PARROT Know Before You Go For most activities, a relatively moderate level of exertion is required. You will need to climb into and out of Zodiacs and tenders for diving and snorkeling activities and excursions ashore (staff and crew members will be on hand to assist). Ashore, you must be able to walk moderate distances, unaided, over beaches and sometimes rough terrain. Average daily temperatures will range from the lower to the upper 80sºF throughout our itinerary FAX Elliott Avenue Suite 250 Seattle, WA reservations@zegrahm.com To reserve, visit or contact your travel consultant. < 5