Day 11
The day started with a recap of the wildlife seen on the expedition, and an informal history corner. We landed on Heligoland with the tender boats. A walk through the village and up to the Oberland took us to the sheer sandstone cliffs forming the west of the island. There we found the spectacular s...
Day 10
We spent the early morning sailing up the eastern English Channel, with Beachy Head and the White Cliffs of Dover visible on the port side and Cap Griz Nez to starboard. The fog came and went and the first Kittiwakes and Northern Fulmars of the trip were seen, together with Northern Gannets and gull...
Day 9
A guided walk around the walled town of St Malo, faithfully reconstructed after its destruction during the second world war, visited the ramparts, the castle, the cathedral and more on a hot, sunny day. There was an excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mont Saint Michel with its abbey soar...
Day 8
The wonderful weather continued for our day in and around the old and scenic fishing port of Douarnenez with its fascinating Maritime Museum. More energetic guests went kayaking along the coast, and others enjoyed an 11km coastal hike. A nature walk took in the harbour and coastal woodland, ending a...
Day 7
We spent a glorious day exploring Brittany’s southernmost inhabited island under cloudless skies. Many guests took advantage of the island’s road train for a guided trip of the old villages, farms, woods and stunning coast. The hike started along the coast then turned inland for a 17 km traverse of...
Day 6
The ship sailed up the 130 km long estuary of the Gironde and moored spectacularly close to the centre of Bordeaux. The sunrise was glorious and interesting birds by the river included Black Kites, White Storks and a singing Nightingale. Most guests enjoyed guided—or self-guided walks around the mag...
Day 5
We sailed into Pasaia, the port of San Sebastian, through a dramatically narrow, steep-sided channel. The morning guided tour took in a viewpoint with a wonderful view of the spectacularly beautiful city of San Sebastian, followed by a lovely walk through the historic streets and squares where we sa...
Day 4
We arrived early in the busy old port of Gijon in a heavy shower of rain. The weather cleared and by the afternoon we were enjoying bright sunshine and blue skies. Many guests went on a guided city tour by bus and on foot. This included a trip to the magnificent architectural complex at the Laboral...
Day 3
The first Gannets of the trip were seen on the morning wildlife watch, and there were morning lectures and workshops on history, geology and whales. In the afternoon, most guests enjoyed a guided tour of Ferrol that explained the naval and industrial history, and the political importance of the town...
Day 2
We sailed into Leixões, the port installation of Porto, in heavy fog, as the morning catch was being unloaded on the quay. The sun soon came out, and after lunch guests enjoyed their first excursions. Most joined local guides on a bus to a high point, and walked down to the river, learning on the wa...
Day 1
Guests arrived in the beautiful and historic city of Lisbon to join the ship in the afternoon. After check-in formalities it was time to explore on board and participate in a safety briefing. Following a lecture introducing the ship and the activities during the days ahead, we sailed out of the city...