Yesterday we arrived in the historic Scottish city of Edinburgh to board the National Geographic Explorer, docked in the harbor of Leith. After settling into our accommodations we prepared for our voyage around the United Kingdom with an introduction to the ship and her crew. It had been a long day traveling for many of our guests so following an excellent first dinner, sleep and recovery was the primary attraction to finish the day.
At daybreak, we commenced our first full day of the voyage with a visit to the historical Holy Island of Lindisfarne. The castle at the tip of the island stood out quite prominently, especially with the scaffolding surrounding much of it. It seems the time has come for a major refurbishing and restoration of the structure.
Getting ashore to Holy Island required a lengthy Zodiac ride. The waters offshore are quite shallow and so the ship had to anchor some distance away. A stiff easterly wind and an ebbing tidal current produced a bit of a choppy sea, but skillful driving by the staff got us safely to shore. We then spent the morning exploring the site of the priory and monastery that sits just above the small protected harbor. The main church was built at the beginning of the 12th century and it still stands proud today. Surrounding it are the ruins of various other builds and structures that were constructed following the completion of the central church. A promontory just above the small pier gave a perfect overview of the priory and the mudflats where the tide had been receding all morning.
Our plans for the afternoon were altered as a steady easterly wind created conditions that were too rough for the local boats to transport us to the Farne Islands. Instead the Captain piloted the ship slowly along the coast so we could view the cliffs and ledges of the island where large numbers of seabirds were just starting their summer’s breeding activities. Then we continued on course southward along the east English coast.
That evening the traditional Welcome Cocktails provided an opportunity for Captain Oliver Kruess to introduce the ship’s officers. A fine Welcome Dinner then provided a finale to a lovely first day of this very special expedition.
