Es Vedra, Ibiza, & At Sea to Motril, Spain
One of the distinct benefits of expedition cruising is that we are not tied to a strict schedule. This means that we can continually evaluate the conditions and adapt our plans accordingly. Today, after checking the weather forecast and the timings to reach our destination for tomorrow, our Captain and Expedition Leader decided that we had time for an expedition stop - a couple of extra hours for an impromptu exploration of an interesting location. The site chosen was Es Vedra, a dramatic island that seems to define the word ‘craggy’. We devoted our time to a morning spent on the glassy calm waters around the island, by Zodiac or by kayak, enjoying the early morning sunlight on the island and the wildlife both on the island and in the waters around it.
After an idyllic morning on the water we set a course to the west and our destination of Motril – the rest of the day a quiet and relaxing day at sea. But it was not such a quiet day at sea. Keen eyes on the bridge kept a watch for interesting wildlife and we were rewarded with several encounters with dolphins of three species – striped, bottlenose and Risso’s. We also found a small group of pilot whales and maneuvered the ship closer hoping to have better views of these small whales (or big dolphins?). Our hopes were exceeded when the pilot whales approached the bow of the ship and spent time simply hanging out with our ship, giving us great looks as they cavorted in the deep blue Mediterranean waters.
Sea days are a welcome time to slow down the pace of travel and reflect on recent experiences. They are also rewarding for their unpredictable nature and the sense that sightings of whales, dolphins or passing birds are a bonus. Today we were privileged to enjoy a beautiful calm and sunny Mediterranean spring day with some wonderful chance encounters with wildlife. This, together with the fine style in which we travel onboard the National Geographic Explorer, is a winning combination.
