Changing our plans for St Kilda meant updating our itinerary. Instead of going to Gigha, instead we headed to the beautiful island of Vatersay for a morning nature landing. And what a morning it was! Calm seas, bright sunshine, and almost no wind created perfect conditions for exploring ashore.

Guests joined photography walks with Geraldine and nature walks with Andres and David, while Monty Halls and a dedicated group contributed to the Big Blue Bag project along the stunning white sand beach near our landing site. We were welcomed by the friendliness of the local community and treated to remarkable wildlife sightings throughout the morning. The highlight for many was seeing the elusive corncrake, with some birds even wandering across the paths in front of us. Golden eagles and white-tailed eagles were also spotted soaring overhead, while kayakers enjoyed calm conditions and visits from curious grey seals.

After a rewarding and memorable morning ashore, we returned to the ship for lunch before continuing towards our afternoon destination.