PLEASE NOTE
All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice and weather conditions and in order to take advantage of opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.

Day 1  We embark at Oban, a small and cosy harbour town in west Scotland. From Glasgow it is a good option to take the train, a marvellous journey through one of the most scenic parts of Scotland. The channels between the Scottish islands offer excellent possibilities to spot Minke Whales (a small baleen whale), White-beaked Dolphins and Harbour Porpoises. Several other cetaceans, including Orcas (Killer Whales), are also native to these waters.

Day 2  Out in the Atlantic to the north-west of Scotland lie the tiny islands of North Rona and Sula Sgeir. We shall land on North Rona to see the seabird colonies and the Grey Seals. The island was inhabited in the 18th century and some remains are still visible: Leach´s Petrels can be heard calling from their nesting burrows in the ruined walls of a small church in the ‘village´. Sula Sgeir is the last island in Britain on which Gannets are harvested annually. There will be spectacular views of its cliffs as we sail around. In 2006 we saw a Black-browed Albatros at this island.

Day 3  Today we arrive at Thorshavn, the capital and cultural centre of the Faroes. Here we are free to shop, to visit the museum or just wander at will. In the harbour the small Faroese boats are a reminder of the Viking origins of the islanders. The walkers among us can make an exciting two hours walk across the hills to Kirkjubøer where they will find a medieval cathedral. In the early evening we will try to land at Saksun, tucked away at the head of a fjord which was once a superb natural harbour. Today the bay is full of sand and we can only enter by zodiac at high tide. At Saksun is a Natural Heritage Museum. Continuing along the north side of Streymoy we pass huge seabird colonies.

Days 4 & 5  We sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, situated 300 nautical miles north-east of Iceland. During our two days at sea there will be plenty of time to watch for the blow of a Minke, Fin or Blue Whale, which could herald a rewarding encounter with these gentle giants. Perhaps we might run into a pod of Orcas, who can often be quite curious about boats such as ours.

Day 6  Jan Mayen is a volcanic island of breathtaking beauty and mystique, dominated by Mt Beerenberg. From the slopes of the 2300m volcano, impressive glaciers spill into the sea. Until recently, the island was off-limits as it is a military base, and was rarely visited by tourists, but with permission from the Norwegian authorities we hope to visit the weather station. We will also walk across the island to Kvalrossbukta to look at the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station and a substantial colony of Fulmars. We also plan to sail by Koksletta where thousands of Little Auks and Brünnich´s Guillemots breed close to a glacier, watched over by piratical Glaucous Gulls.

Days 7 & 8  We spend two days at sea, looking out for whales, dolphins and seals and a variety of seabirds.

Day 9  At Bear Island we visit the remains of a whaling station active from 1905-1908 in Kvalrossbukta. Arctic Skuas and Great Skuas can be seen during a walk across the desolate hills and tundra. The weather will decide whether we then sail along the west coast, where we can observe one of the largest seabird colonies in the North Atlantic teeming with Little Auks, Brünnich’s Guillemots, Common Guillemots and Kittiwakes. Alternatively we will sail along the east coast to visit Tunheim, an abandoned mining settlement. When we approach the sea-ice at the southern tip of Spitsbergen, we may also encounter moulting Harp Seals.

Day 10  Depending on the position of the sea-ice, we cruise the maze of fjords in the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, which is ringed by towering mountain peaks. Hornsundtind rises to 1,431m while Bautaen shows why early Dutch explorers gave the name ‘Spitsbergen’ - pointed mountains - to the island. There are also 14 magnificent glaciers in the area but as well as spectacular scenery, the area is renowned for its abundant and varied arctic wildlife. We have very good chances of seeing seals and with a little luck, the very symbol of the Arctic - Polar Bears. We may visit the Polish research station where the friendly staff will give us an insight into their research projects. Behind the station, the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little Auks. Bearded Seals often cruise the inner fjords, whose cliffs are lined with colonies of Brünnich’s Guillemots and Kittiwakes. On the tundra we will have good opportunities to observe foraging Barnacle Geese.

Day 11  Today we land at Kapp Toscana on Ahlstrandhalvøya at the mouth of Van Keulenfjord, where piles of Beluga skeletons are a reminder of the 20th century exploitation of these small white whales. Numbers are now recovering and there is a good chance of spotting small groups in the area. We then move to Recherchefjord, where a walk on the fragile tundra which backs the fjord may yield sightings of Reindeer and where we visit the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station at Lagerneset. Alternatively we may land at Midterhuken to explore the remains of 17th century English whaling sites. The weather will determine which good options will be chosen in this area.

Day 12  We disembark at Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen, for flights south to Norway and onward to home. Alternatively we may stay on the ship and continue our voyage to North Spitsbergen.