We’ve learned that our friends at Heritage Expeditions will be conducting their final Western Pacific Odyssey in spring 2011, and so that will be your last chance for the pelagic trip of a lifetime on that incredible route with Steve Howell.

A Tahiti Petrel, one of something like 40 tubenose species seen on this cruise. Photo: Steve Howell.

After our 2007 cruise, Steve wrote:

“Starts in New Zealand and ending in Japan, this amazing trip crosses more than 4,000 miles of ocean in the western Pacific. The islands visited en route on our  voyage included Norfolk Island (home of the Norfolk Island Pine, as well as great birds), New Caledonia (with the unique Kagu, plus Crow Honeyeater and Cloven-feathered Dove), the Solomon Islands (lots of great birds, including Solomon Sea-Eagle, Moustached Treeswift, Rennell Shrikebill, Finsch’s Pygmy-Parrot, Eclectus Parrot, Buff-headed Coucal, Blyth’s Hornbill, and Midget Flowerpecker), and Truk, in the Federated States of Micronesia (with Caroline Islands Fruit-Dove, Swiftlet, Reed-Warbler, and White-eye, among others).

“And then there were the seabirds, including nearly 40 species of tubenoses, starting with New Zealand Storm-Petrel, ending with Steller’s (Short-tailed) Albatross, and in between including Parkinson’s, Beck’s, Tahiti, White-necked, Collared, and Bonin Petrels; Heinroth’s and Bannerman’s Shearwaters; and Polynesian, Tristram’s, and Matsudaira’s Storm-Petrels! And there were some great whales and dolphins as well as spectacular flying fish in many colors.”

I’m ready to go–you?