I always seem to start my blogs with an apology for them being long overdue, and this one is no exception. I am sorry.
The last blog was posted as we arrived in the Pacific in May of this year, and I write this one as we depart for Indonesia. It’s been an amazing six months. Our time included revisiting friends in Vanuatu from previous visits, as well as exploring many new villages and locations. We also spent time in the Solomon Islands. Among the many highlights was revisiting the Santa Cruz group of Islands, which holds a special place in my heart. Another memorable experience was visiting the remote island of Ontong Java, the largest atoll in the world and another of the Polynesian outliers. Check out our photo gallery on this website for pictures from the Pacific 2024.
Our departure from the Pacific Islands for Indonesia also marks a significant milestone in my career. I began guiding and organising expeditions in the early 1980s, where I came to understand the power and importance of advocacy in conservation. I combined this with my love for travel, which led to the creation of Heritage Expeditions. After passing the reins of Heritage Expeditions to my sons in 2019, I continued to offer small-group expeditions on board the MV Strannik, though sadly, not as many as I would have liked due to COVID.
I am a Strannik—a wanderer and a pilgrim—and I always will be, nothing can change that. But I genuinely believe it’s time to let the next generation of passionate and knowledgeable guides lead these special expeditions. Strannik Ocean Voyages will no longer be offering expedition cruises. However, I will continue to travel, explore, and advocate as often and for as long as I can. Strannik (the yacht) and I are inseparable, and there will be more expeditions (many more I hope) aboard her, although these will be private.
With Strannik's capabilities, there may be opportunities for me to invite friends and family on these expeditions, either as crew or as participants. If and when these opportunities arise, I will share them with you through a newsletter, and if you’re interested in joining, simply send me an email, and we will take it from there.
With a few less responsibilities, I hope to have more time to write and increase the frequency and content of our newsletters and blogs.
Rodney Russ
“Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change.”
— Jim Rohn