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Expedition Stories
Our fleet navigates the world in search of adventure. These are the stories they bring back…
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Previous Reports
9/20/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Canada
At Sea, St. Pierre The bulk of today was spent sailing and eating along the coast of Newfoundland on our way to the secluded island of St. Pierre. Using the utmost ingenuity, not a minute at sea was wasted. The Safety Drill and introductions of the Expedition Staff occupied a bit of the morning, but for some reason neither was choreographed to Gilbert & Sullivan. Expedition Leader Mark take note! And then our historians, Michael and Ben, provided a tag-team lecture on early exploration, French exploration, and the economic and flip-flopping political history of these islands that were originally named “the eleven thousand virgins” by the Portuguese in 1520. Steaming into the harbor of St. Pierre gave us fair warning of the charm and natural beauty of the island and its structures, and our free time walks turned up arts, crafts, patisseries, alcoholic spirits, great locals and a wealth of history. It truly was a place both isolated from and part of the 21st century as we heard and watched the cars of young people vibrate down the street blaring gangsta rap, but as the noise drew away, the views remained in our memory and likely will for a long time. This fine day was gallantly topped by the Captain’s reception, the introduction of the officers—again sadly without appropriate musical accompaniment—but with a wonderful array of appetizers and a splendid meal sure to give us pleasant dreams and the energy needed for a very full day on Cape Breton Island tomorrow.
9/22/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia With brilliant sunrise painting the sky behind us, the National Geographic Explorer steamed into the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Once alongside there were options for morning activities. A guided tour through the city made stops at several of the sites that define Halifax. The public garden at the center of the city was a highlight as we had an opportunity to stroll through the park and photograph flowers in bloom. Some opted to wander the nearby city center while others chose to visit the famous Maritime Museum. Housed here is a large collection of artifacts from the Titanic, and a number of exhibits that chronicle the fishing and shipbuilding industries that are still a significant part of Nova Scotia life. With continued summer-like weather in the afternoon, we drove out of the city bound for the small village of Peggy’s Cove. This picturesque site is one of the most visited travel destinations in the province. The lighthouse is perched on huge rounded granite boulders. Signs warn us to stay away from the edge where rock and sea meet. On any typical day these shores are pounded by great swells rolling in from the North Atlantic sending plumes of white foam high into the air. On this afternoon the only white we see are clouds dotting the sky and vanilla ice cream cones around the picnic tables. We drink in the day, our senses sated. And when we return to the ship we are greeted in royal fashion by Sergeant Adams and Piper Otto in full dress and bag pipes!
9/24/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Nova Scotia
Brier Island / Bay of Fundy Today was certainly the “Right” day for whales (pun intended!). After a morning of natural history walks on Brier Island, Nova Scotia’s western most point, we set a northern course for the Bay of Fundy. With hopes of seeing at least one of the (speculated) 300 remaining Northern Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) we were beside ourselves when, by days end, we had encountered not one, not two, not ten, but approximately 30 individuals!! That’s 10% of the known population if current figures are accurate. In addition to the staggering numbers these were not passive subjects. As far off as 3-4 miles we were drawn to extreme surface activity which included lobtailing, spy-hopping, pectoral slaps and breaching. Another socializing behavior we witnessed was the occasional bellow or moan that reverberated across today’s glassy, sun soaked water surface. There was usually close, physical contact associated with these calls. For most of the afternoon we were literally surrounded by pairs, small groups or individuals in what was undoubtedly the most humbling experience of the trip. The name “Right” whale was given to this member of the Balaenidae family by whalers who were confident they had the “right” characteristics to efficiently hunt them. The combination of feeding close to shore, being slow swimmers with great stores of blubber and a propensity to float upon death lead to their near extinction before a 1937 ban on their slaughter. Adding to their low numbers is the fact that females are not fertile until 6-7 years of age and reproduce only once every 3-4 years after that. Despite these figures our time in their company proved they are very social, intimate animals none the less! To conclude with another painfully sophomoric pun we were without a doubt in the “right” place at the “right” time today. Not a face aboard the National Geographic Explorer was without a smile or sun drenched glow by days end. With Killer Whale and Gray and Harbor Seal sightings to boot, today was truly one for the records!
9/26/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geogaphic Explorer in Maine
Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park In the muted light of morning the rounded islets between which we passed took on the silhouettes of the mammal for which they were named. Little imagination was needed to see porcupines with backs hunched and heads tucked in exposing their spiky spines which were in reality conifer trees. Our minds drifted only momentarily for the channel through which we passed was narrow and littered with floats marking the spots for lobster pots. Captain, Pilot and Mate were vigilant too and needed no assistance from us but watch we did in spite of this fact. Mount Desert Island presented a bucket of beauty from which we sipped throughout the day. The name seems so incongruous and strange until the land is touched upon. Like so many places when viewed from the sea it is only the shape that is noted. The vegetation might dominate when examined a little more closely but from afar its presence is lost. And thus the rounded, bald topped mountain earned the name of desert. It is far from that. Higher and higher, into the clouds we climbed into the heart of Acadia National Park. One moment found us wrapped in fog and in the next our eyes feasted on the colors of fall. Cadillac Mountain’s polished pink pate was spattered in lime green lichens. In nooks and crannies shrubs held tight, their leaves maroon and red. Below, on the flanks of the mountains, maples melded crimson, orange and yellow. Smatterings of conifers added contrasting dark forest green. From the heights to the forests below we went to stand beside beaver ponds or stroll along ledges worn by crashing surf along the edges of the island. At each moment the desire was there to stop and drink, to truly absorb and understand this fascinating place. Bar Harbor was the gateway through which we came and went throughout the day. Written upon the face of today is the story of the past when wealthy summer people and artists frolicked and lobstermen and shipbuilders went about their tasks. Its harbor will be our refuge in the night as we rest quietly at anchor until just before another morning’s light.
9/28/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Massachusetts
Cape Cod Canal We started our morning in Cape Cod Bay and headed south through the Cape Cod Canal. Started in 1909, the canal route connected the Manomet and Scusset Rivers. When it was opened as a privately owned toll canal in 1914, it was as much as a 100 feet wide and at least 25 feet deep. The government purchased it in 1928 and decided to deepen the canal to 32 feet and increase the width to 480 feet to ease navigation and decrease the chance of accidents. The southern entrance was also redirected to Buzzard’s Bay and it became a free public waterway. The calm water would soon give way to large swells as we left the protection of the canal. As expected, the eye of Hurricane Kyle hovered just 60 miles east of Martha’s Vineyard, making our scheduled activities for this afternoon less than appealing. In true expedition fashion, we changed the plans and headed for Newport, Rhode Island. In every direction we looked there were sailboats taking advantage of the afternoon wind. We were fortunate that the weather held and we went ashore to explore Fort Adams and the Yachting Museum. It is a testament to the skill of our expedition team that we were able to have such an educational day with such short notice.
10/6/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Cape Cod
Martha’s Vineyard This morning we headed south through the Cape Cod Canal into Buzzard’s Bay. In 1928 the government purchased this waterway and decided to expand its size to ease navigation and decrease the chance of accidents. We made our way around the Elizabeth Islands up the Vineyard Sound to our anchorage off the town of Oak Bluff on Martha’s Vineyard. In colonial times, Vineyard Sound was one of the busiest waterways in the world, second only to the English Channel. In those times, the island was also full of windmills and thousands of sheep which provided a huge source of fleece and wool for the surrounding areas. Agriculture, fishing and scalloping have also all been large industries for the island, but currently tourism overshadows them all. The island of Martha’s Vineyard is approximately 100 square miles with more than 120 miles of tidal shoreline. Roughly triangular in shape, it is the largest island on the northeast coast and lies seven miles off the coast of Cape Cod. While the year round population is only about 17,000 people, numbers can grow to over 120,000 visitors in the summer months. Of the six towns on the island, two are ‘wet’, meaning they allow alcohol, while the other four are ‘dry’. Oak Bluffs was founded by Methodists and is known for its ‘gingerbread’ houses. Constructed after the civil war, these houses took advantage of a new invention, the jigsaw, which made intricate, repeat-pattern woodwork more affordable. We also visited Edgartown, with streets lined with white board houses, manicured gardens and wonderful public art. Passing by the Edgartown Lighthouse, we stopped to take a walk on the beach and look out across Katama Bay. Our visit to the island was full of fascinating cultural history and natural beauty.
9/21/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Canada
Baddeck & Louisbourg, Nova Scotia This morning, the National Geographic Explorer slipped into dock at North Sidney on the northern tip of Cape Breton Island. After breakfast, guests boarded motor coaches for an exciting exploration of this remote and beautiful part of Nova Scotia. We were joined by a special guest, Gilbert Grosvenor, Chairman of the National Geographic Society. Mr. Grosvenor is the great-grandson of inventor Alexander Graham Bell, who first visited Cape Breton Island in the 1880s and later built a home in the lovely community of Baddeck. We arrived in Baddeck after a short ride from the National Geographic Explorer. Some guests toured the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, while others set sail on the schooner Amoeba for a waterfront tour of Baddeck and Bras d’Or Lake. In the museum, we learned about Bell’s rich family life and his remarkably inventive mind. In addition to being the father of the telephone, Bell worked on early phonograph machines, air conditioning, kites, and airplanes. The Silver Dart, a project he was closely involved with, became the first aircraft to fly in Canada and the entire British Empire in 1909. On the Bras d’Or, we experienc a sunny morning and watched as bald eagles flew overhead and dove for fish in the lake. We ate a traditional Nova Scotian seafood lunch in a Baddeck restaurant before boarding our motor coaches for a short trip to the historic community of Louisbourg. Louisbourg Fortress was first established by the French in the early 18th century as a strategic military and commercial outpost on the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton Island. Twice, the British besieged the fortress and captured it. Eventually, they completely destroyed it to prevent the French from ever reoccupying it. Today, the Canadian government, in cooperation with local Nova Scotians, has rebuilt the fortress and surrounding community to look as it did in 1744, the year before the first British siege. We toured the grounds of Louisbourg and learned more about life in the frontier colony from costumed historical interpreters. We also had a chance to sample period drinks and cooking demonstrations. After our tour, we returned to the waiting National Geographic Explorer by Zodiac. Tonight we sail south for a new day of fun and adventure in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
9/23/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Nova Scotia
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia As we awoke to a perfect morning and wonderful sunrise, the town of Lunenburg appeared in the distance. This quaint little historic sea town that was established in 1753 is our destination for the day. Originally a British Colonial settlement, the early settlers were from Germany, Switzerland and France. After breakfast we went ashore and were greeted by the local guides in their historic dress. Our landing sight was along side a replica of the famous sailing vessel the Blue Nose . After a short introduction to the town and area, we headed along the pier on our way to the Maritime Museum and some wonderful displays, as well as food samplings and fiddle music. This, along with the spectacular weather made for a perfect morning! Many guests returned to the ship for lunch, but some decided to take advantage of the day and eat in town, and then explore on their own. After lunch we returned again for our afternoon activities, town tours and more exploring on our own. Our guide regaled us with stories and expanded on the history of the town. There was some shopping also involved along the way! Unfortunately, all good things must end, and it was time to return to the ship for recap and another great dinner on board.
9/25/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in New Brunswick
Campobello & Grand Manan Islands Morning, bright and clear and we find ourselves on a picturesque quilt of water and headlands, not really the sea, not really the land. We are anchored off of Campobello Island, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Beloved Island”, where the family’s 34-room summer home still stands and is now the centerpiece of the Roosevelt Campobello International Park. Now, where once the young President-to-be explored the woods, beaches, bogs and sea, so too did we. I do not get ashore a lot, it is not my ecosystem, I float rather than stand, but I took a rare stroll to the visitor center and was surprised by the number of late flowers: rose, dogwood, snapdragon, evening primrose, mustard and more. I also thought about when this was someone’s home. The world was bigger with fewer roads, no commercial jets and one did not just stop here for the weekend, but rather for the entire summer. The local residents of Campobello and Grand Manan, our afternoon destination, still make their living fishing the bountiful waters of the Bay of Fundy, but more and more it is fish farming. There were two fish farms near our anchorage that raise and harvest over a million Atlantic salmon in three-year cycles. I wonder what young FDR would have thought about that? Change seems out of place where summer and childhood are timeless. My world, the bottom of the sea, can also seem timeless, untouched, unchanging, but that is not true either, usually it is just the world turning, although, more and more it is our own footprints I see. I took a look, this afternoon with our Remotely Operated Vehicle, and yesterday and the day before that with SCUBA. I am pleased, there are still cod, haddock, scallop, lobster, clam and crab, all edible, all harvested, all there, albeit smaller and fewer, but all there and summer is not yet over. Why should it be? The lobsters are really big at the little marina, at Flaggs Cove where we anchored at Grand Manan, they are protected now and I bet they will be even bigger next year. That will be good, to see, to remember, a place beloved where you would want to spend the whole summer!
9/27/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Maine
Rockland, Maine Slowly the rocking and rolling came to an end as the National Geographic Explorer made its way into the harbor of Rockland and anchored safely behind the breakwater. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and steadied themselves for the exciting day ahead. We had an entire day to explore the lovely New England working fishing town of Rockland, Maine. In the morning, trolleys provided transportation to the Weskeag Marsh for birding and natural history walks. Species of ducks, gulls, and pipers were seen feeding in the shallow marsh waters. Many shades of purple Asters were blooming along the roadside as we were granted a rain-free morning. The afternoon allowed for plenty of free time for everyone to experience the idyllic seaside town. Several museums were open for Lindblad guests to peruse at their leisure. This included the famous Farnsworth Art Museum where there were numerous works by Andrew Wyeth. Many discovered the Lighthouse Museum where they learned that there are 68 lighthouses along the coast of Maine. Overall, a great day was had by all, even when the rain began falling. Luckily, it held off until the last hours of the day when most were ready to warm up back at the ship. The rain also cleared up the fog that had been hanging in the air all day and the National Geographic Explorer could finally be seen sitting quietly at anchor.
9/29/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in Rhode Island & Connecticut
New London & Mystic Today was the best of times from beginning to end. Daybreak found us entering the Thames River on our way to New London and Mystic. We received an official harbor salute from air, land and sea as we approached our landing for the day. Fife and drums played, coast guard planes flew and the Thames Tow Boat spouted water in our honor. The day dripped on us briefly as we entered our dock but by the time we disembarked, the sun was piercing through the clouds and sunglasses were pulled from cases. The original dampness of the day glimmered off of the docks and rigging of the ships at Mystic Seaport. We marveled at previous arctic adventurers, learned the details of the lives of early whalers and gazed up at the mastheads that have travelled so far across time and ocean fetch. Our own journey travelled across time as we entered the realm of Dr. Robert Ballard at the Mystic Aquarium’s Institute for Exploration. Here we had the insider’s view of the future of oceanic investigation. Meeting in Dr. Ballard’s private office, we were educated and inspired, each one of us, about the inner realm and the mapping of the deep ocean. With our base in the past and our minds in the future, we entered the present by touring the aquarium homes of Beluga Whales, Steller Sea Lions, Rays, Clown Fish and a spectrum of ocean anemone. Our time ashore ended all too soon, but soon we were in the lounge recounting our day with all of our new friends. Dr. Ballard, who found the RMS Titanic in her watery grave, joined us for a lively discourse about the ocean depths and stayed aboard for visiting and dinner. Captain’s Farewell Dinner got us all excited about our next day entering New York. Little did we know that there would be one more surprise that had been planned for us.
10/7/2008
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National Geographic Explorer
From the National Geographic Explorer in New York
New York City, New York A rosy morning dawned over Manhattan as the National Geographic Explorer made its way through Hell Gate and into the East River. Everyone was very excited to be entering New York Harbor and looked forward to seeing the city sights from the water. What a different perspective, to come into New York City on a ship after a night at sea. The ship sailed under the Brooklyn Bridge and into the inner harbor. Quickly finishing breakfast, everyone moved out onto the open decks to get a great view of the Statue of Liberty. Next came a cruise up the Hudson River to pass near the Lindblad headquarters office. There, on the top of a building, was the blue flag with the Lindblad eye waving proudly in the wind. We waved hello and turned the ship around to our berth in Brooklyn. Motor coaches were loaded for a ride through the city to the Explorers Club, which promotes exploration and discovery throughout the world. Guests were treated to cocktails and lunch in the historical club building. After lunch, the group split up and parted ways. Some went on a motor coach tour of the city with a guide pointing out the famous New York sites along the way. Others chose to go it alone in the big city and visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or went on guided walks through Central Park. The day was wrapped up at sunset with a rooftop cocktail party at the Lindblad office on Morton Street. Light breeze accompanied the fine wine while we watched the sun set behind Lady Liberty from atop the Big Apple.
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