At Sea, Western Ireland, 6/25/2024, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Europe & British Isles
Our only sea day of the voyage was an absolute gem, with calm seas and blue skies. The hotel team put on a special barbeque on deck while we searched the seas for marine life and enjoyed the stunning landscapes of the west of Ireland. Our search for whales at the continental shelf-edge to the west of Donegal eventually paid off, as we found a pod of long-finned pilot whales just before sunset.
For as long as he can remember, Conor has always been preoccupied with the natural world, from the whales to the fungi. For most of his life he has been an islander: growing up in Cobh, Ireland and settling down in Tobermory in the Hebrides, Scotland...
Today marked the day we entered Irish waters, and we were incredibly lucky to continue being graced with the most uncommon weather for the British and Irish Isles – calm seas and clear, sunny skies! These spectacular conditions made for a wonderful morning spent watching dolphins ride the bow of National Geographic Explorer. We enjoyed smooth sailing for our presentations, including a fantastic talk about Climate Justice and the Climate and Nature Crisis by the amazing Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland. After lunch, we visited the Aran Island of Inishmore where we enjoyed wonderful hospitality on the small island of less than 800 people. We admired the spectacular views from the steep sea cliffs near Dun Aengus. To round out a delightful first day exploring the coast of Ireland, we carried on cruising with calm sea conditions, the stunning cliffs of Moher on our port side, and a glowing sunset on our starboard side.
We navigated towards the picturesque island of Iona in mirror calm conditions as the sun rose, uncovering harbor porpoises and minke whales. After breakfast we made our way ashore to explore this island. We couldn’t have asked for better weather and the local birds narrated our journey to the historical abbey as they sang their hearts out whilst basking in the sun. After lunch, we made our way towards the Isle of Lunga via a ship’s cruise of Staffa and Fingal’s columnar basalt cave. At Lunga we chose between landing or Zodiac cruising, and all had amazing encounters with wildflowers and more notably, puffins.
Today’s journey took us to one of the oldest stone monuments of the British Isles. Formed from some of the oldest rock in the world, the Standing Stones of Calanais is located on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Our morning began with a thrilling presentation by National Geographic Photographer and Filmmaker David Wright who answered our questions about his career filming wildlife across the globe and told stories of awe-inspiring encounters with nature and his many gripping near-death experiences. Following this, I gave an introduction to the history of Neolithic monuments and the significance of Calanais, helping us imagine the world of its builders some 5,000 years ago. After lunch, we went ashore to walk among the iconic and towering stones themselves, which sparked lively discussion and reflection on the beliefs and practices of Neolithic peoples. Some guests ventured beyond the main circle to explore the broader ritual landscape of Calanais, hiking through the peat and heather to visit other nearby megaliths that dot the surrounding fields. It was a moving day, one that connected us with our ancestors and the enduring mysteries of the ancient past.
