Whales, Dolphins & Seabirds of the Atlantic Edge Cruise

Embark the MS Hebridean Sky this afternoon. Transfers will be provided from Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station at a fixed time.

At dawn we will be sailing through Lyme Bay and staff will be on deck as we look for common dolphins that can be found in these waters. Later this morning we will sail along the River Dart to our anchorage off the town of Dartmouth. Here you can choose to spend a couple of hours exploring the town or maybe join a Zodiac ride along the river and see the castles and river fortifications whilst keeping an eye out for wildlife. Over lunch we sail out to the English Channel where the shallow waters are home to several species of whale, dolphin and porpoise. Regular sightings in these waters include minke whales, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises. A few lucky spotters could even see some rarer visitors, including the second largest animal on the planet - the fin whale, long-finned pilot whales, Risso’s dolphin and even the iconic humpback whale. Keep an eye out for playful bow-riding dolphins who leap in the waves made by the ship as we sail through these waters.

Overnight we have sailed into the Bay of Biscay which is one of the most exciting areas in the world for whale and dolphin watching. A dramatic change in water depth from 150 to 4000 metres creates the perfect mixing bowl of nutrients that promote large algal blooms. These microscopic plants are the catalyst for drawing in ocean giants, who feed on the large schools of fish sustained by this explosion of life. We spend the day cruising in these rich feeding grounds, keeping a lookout for fin whales, sei whales, minke whales, long-finned pilot whales, Risso’s dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins and common dolphins. Around one-third of the world’s whale and dolphin species can be sighted in Biscay - with orca and blue whales being among the occasional visitors, meaning it is always an exciting area to watch for wildlife.

Arrive this morning in the southern Bay of Biscay. Around 2-30 kilometres off the coast of Spain, lies the Santander and Torrelavega Canyons which are both more than twice the depth of the Grand canyon. These colossal trenches are the perfect habitat for some of the most elusive and interesting whale and dolphin species, such as the Cuvier’s beaked whale. This mind-boggling species is the deepest diving mammal on the planet, they can hold their breath for an astonishing 3 hours and 42 minutes, and dive to an incredible 2,992 metres. Other beaked whales sighted here include the Sowerby’s beaked whale, northern bottlenose whale and True’s beaked whale, as well as other marine mammal species like the pilot whale and sperm whale. So keep your eyes peeled for some of the most exciting and unusual species you might spot. In the early evening we will berth in Santander where we have a few hours to stretch our legs before we sail tonight.

Spend the day cruising along and around the northern Iberian Coast which is home to around 22 whale and dolphin species including the harbour porpoise, common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, and Risso’s dolphin. Several members of the iconic “blackfish” have also been sighted in these waters, including regular sightings of the longfinned pilot whale and occasional sightings of orca and false killer whale. Further offshore species such as the striped dolphin, Cuvier’s beaked whale, Sowerby’s beaked whale, sperm whale, minke and fin whale can be spotted.

Sail this morning into the Galician port of Vigo from where local boats will take us offshore to the beautiful Iles des Cies. Part of the Atlantic Islands National Park, the Romans named them the ‘islands of the gods’ and we will spend time enjoying the natural beauty of the landscapes; see the stunning beaches, walk the paths to search for animal and plant life or maybe swim in the clear waters. Alternatively spend some time in Vigo itself and explore the narrow streets of the old town or visit the Castro Fotress which was built in 1665 to defend the city from the English Navy and offers views over the city. Later, we sail the waters off the coast of Portugal which are home to playful dolphin species, such as the bottlenose dolphin and common dolphin, as well as the shy harbour porpoise.

Disembark this morning and transfer to the airport for our scheduled flight to the UK.

Itineraries are subject to change.