We started our lovely day at sea with some sightings of short-beaked common dolphins. The air was filled with seabirds, including the charismatic Northern gannet and one brief sighting of a great skua.

In the afternoon we went ashore for many thrilling activities. One group visited the top of Serra de Monchique (mountain) on a 4x4 jeep safari to explore the Mediterranean ecosystem, crossing rivers and touching and smelling the many aromatic and medicinal herbs and plants. At the outstanding view from the top we could see the ocean, some oaks, maritime pines, and even wild olive trees. We were given a great explanation on the cork oak’s extraction and uses. It’s surprising to know that cork wine stoppers are produced by only using the outer layer of the tree, making it a sustainable use of the ecosystem. At the end of this activity, we were able to taste wood-oven-baked Pao com chorico (traditional bread with sausage).

Some people had the chance to travel upstream on the Arade River in a traditional boat. On the way to Silves they saw many white storks not only nesting but also feeding on the river bends. Fortunately, because it was low tide, a group of flamingos was spotted. Afterward they hopped on 4x4 jeeps and stopped at the Estombar springs, where many Portuguese families were having picnics, swimming, and celebrating the 25th April Carnations Revolution holiday.

The sea was calm and the great blue sky ideal for cave boating on local fisherman’s boats. This was followed by a cooking show and a tasting of the traditional Cataplana, a seafood dish cooked in copper cookware and served with local wines.

Our hiking group went to explore the menhirs, or standing stones, from the megalithic period and had an enlightening explanation from their guide. Then we went through rolling green hills and walked in the Cape St. Vincente nature reserve where we saw many colorful flowers such as the white rock rose, purple thyme, and blue vetch. We also had a sighting of a honey buzzard flying overhead. For a snack we had fresh bread, spiced cake, and herbal tea with our friendly hostess.

It was a beautiful day aboard National Geographic Orion!