A Wild Journey Told In Photos – Chris McLennan Photography

World-renowned wildlife and adventure photographer Chris McLennan joined us onboard Coral Adventurer for our Wildlife and Warriors expedition in May. It’s easy to see why he is a Nikon ambassador – his photos truly capture the stories and character of the journey as we explored Sangliat Dol’s ancient megalithic stone stairs, snorkelled Triton Bay’s emerald water, and encountered Asmat warriors of Agats.

Syuru & Agats

Day 3 > 15th May 2019

We left the Coral Adventurer and as the two Xplorers approached the village of Syuru, we were surrounded by 35 large canoes full of standing warriors dressed in feathers and body paint, whooping and brandishing their weapons at us. It was an amazing welcome. The Xplorers then landed onto a small jetty for a walk along a rickety wooden boardwalk. We congregated around a central area to watch a traditional dance put on by the men and women. We were all very impressed by this spectacular show. After the sing sing, we went into a large longhouse where many artefacts and handicrafts were on display. Quite a few guests bought some very nice carvings. After lunch, the Xplorers took us along the river to Agats for a tour of the town, passing the interesting museum and the many small stalls and stores perched on top of the many boardwalks. Guests had an amazing experience exploring this town built on stilts.

Triton Bay

Day 5 > 17th May 2019

After breakfast, we went for an Xplorer cruise along the limestone cliffs of Namatota Channel. We came across some rock art, positioned about 10m above our heads, and we also saw hornbills flying high overhead. The Xplorers then pulled into a lovely little cove with a palm tree lined beach for a snorkel and walks along the sand. After lunch, we set off in the Xplorers for a scenic cruise further into Triton Bay to view the incredible mushroom-shaped karst rocks. The pax found orchids, pitcher plants, ant plants, Livistona palms and quite a few birds. After an afternoon tea, the Xplorers took us over to a beautiful secluded beach for some more snorkelling, a walk to a small freshwater lagoon and scuba diving. Many pax said to me that this afternoon was a real highlight of the trip. The divers enjoyed themselves also. Once everyone was back on board, we had drinks on the Vista Deck while the sun set over the wonderful forest-covered rock formations—just magical.