On high seas, National Geographic Orion continued to Rapa Nui, the final destination of our voyage. After a delicious breakfast in the restaurant, we joined Cultural Specialist Annette Kühlem in the lounge for her presentation, “The Mysterious Island: Popular Ideas about Rapa Nui Revisited.” After watching scenes from “Rapa Nui,” the movie filmed on location and directed by Kevin Costner, there was a lively discussion about the historical accuracy of the plot. We learned that far from being a failed society, the Rapanui constantly adapted to the challenging conditions on the most remote island in the world. The presentation made us excited to visit Rapa Nui for ourselves.
National Geographic photographer Chris Rainier then gave a great talk on how to edit images from the perspective of a photojournalist and an artist. It was impressive to see what big impacts just minor adjustments had on the images he projected onto the screens. Especially interesting was the concept of psychology of color. How sometimes an image captures us without us being able to explain why.
Meanwhile the hotel team had prepared an Asian lunch with sushi, sashimi, and lumpia, and many other delicacies. The afternoon was a bit shorter than usual since we set our clocks forward an hour for the last time before our arrival at Easter Island. Annette gave a second talk on the results of current research on Rapa Nui and how it had changed the perception of ecocide and societal collapse before the arrival of European sailors on the island.
Just before we gathered in the lounge again for our nightly recap and briefing, we were rewarded with a gorgeous sunset and a stunning rainbow just ahead.
