Blog by Sheryl and Raymond

Our ship spends limited time at each destination. Therefore, preparation is key: destination lecturers; excursion descriptions; googling information. Still – a little more time in Palau would have been great! Always choices: ours was to experience Palau’s pristine Nikko Bay on a small boat, which meant not exploring Koror, the Capital and getting a better sense of the people and culture.

Previously only vaguely knew of Palau – proud independent South Pacific nation, one of earth’s smallest. It opted not to join a single, federal Micronesian state. 460 square kilometres; 340 Islands – 9 inhabited; about 22 000 residents. Yet its vote as a single Country equal to that of each of 193 United Nations Countries!

Matrilineal Society for thousands of years. Palauan language an “outlier”. Colonised by Spain, Germany, Japan, USA. Home to one of WW2’s bloodiest battles, with huge Japanese casualties and highest US casualty rate of any amphibious assault in American military history, before USA finally secured Palau.

In 1994 Palau gained independence. Its currency remains USD! War “scars” and war relics scattered all over. Global warming a substantial threat: cyclones, typhoons, rising seas, bleached coral.  Creation of iconic storyboards on wood in Palau an integration of good story telling and skilful woodcarving.

Relatively small ships, such as Silver Shadow (our ship) enables visiting remote destinations. Tourism central to Palauan economy, ours the first cruise ship to arrive since the massive Covid hit!  No harbour. So, we anchored and taken ashore by tender (ferries). Ray snorkelled in clear, warm waters with colourful fish amongst coral, before our excursion.

For me, (Raymond!) forgetting about everything else and just experiencing the moment is difficult – much easier for Sheryl. No connectivity on the boat! – which enabled a “fully present” look at the luminous blue transparent waters, sunken Japanese ship, wrecked during WW11; islets, coral forests, land forests, vertical limestone walls, bat caves – as we meandered through Nikko Bay, partially enclosed, thereby providing special conditions for research into saving coral reefs.  Diving mecca. Venue for TV’s “Survivor”!

Small window into a beautiful place not experienced by many outsiders.