At sea, Ascension Island to Cape Verde; 11° 07’ N 22° 05’ W

A quiet sea day in the North Atlantic. The north-east trade winds were blowing and conditions for whale and seabird watching were less than ideal. Seabird numbers remained low as they have been since we arrived in the tropics, there was a brief early morning sighting of short-finned pilot whales and throughout the day numerous flying fish were flushed from the ocean by the passage of the Endeavour. Inside, our lecture programme continued with presentations on El Nino, early transatlantic trade and scientific nomenclature.

While for staff and guests it may have seemed a quiet day at sea, there is no such thing in the galley of the Endeavour. Every day is as busy as the last, keeping us fed to the very highest of standards. It was Napoleon, now a familiar figure to us, who once remarked, “an army marches on its stomach.” The same certainly applies to a Lindblad expedition. There have been relatively few port calls to obtain fresh provisions during this trip, but we continue to be impressed by the diversity and quality of the meals produced by our galley.

We have been fortunate in having excellent fresh seafood throughout our voyage. Some of this seafood has been hand-caught by our willing and enthusiastic crew. The amberjack caught by the crew at Tristan da Cunha was superb, and who among us will forget the extraordinary spectacle of the swimming pool turned into a temporary aquarium home for the two seven-gilled sharks caught that day (and released at the end of the day). We also purchase directly from local communities whenever possible, enabling us to support the local economy of these remote islands. Both of these opportunities give us the chance to sample some of the finest fresh seafood available. Whether lobster from Tristan da Cunha, tuna from Ascension or wahoo from St Helena, it always proves to be a popular option – about 75% of guests choose the fresh fish option when available. And dinner this evening was no exception. The hors d’oeuvre of a confit of Ascension Island tuna served with slow roasted tomato, capers and lemon (pictured) lived up to the high standards we have come to expect on board the Endeavour.