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Scottish Island Cruise
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St Kilda, North Rona, Sula Sgeir, the Flannan Isles... Britain's remotest and most inaccessible isles that, to anyone keen on islands, wild places or seabirds are places to dream about visiting one day. Well, now you can visit all of them in a week, and take in Fair Isle and Mousa in the Shetland Islands as well. After a break in 2009, we are planning to return in 2010.
The secret of getting to all these far-flung islands is to use one of the expedition ships that normally spend their time in the Arctic and Antarctic, with the flexibility of zodiac craft, and an expedition team well-used to landing in complete safety on remote and 'difficult' islands.
This year we have taken cabins on the 'Plancius', a former oceanographic research vessel of the Dutch navy and now custom-redesigned for expedition cruising by its owners, Oceanwide Expeditions of The Netherlands. The ship can take 112 passengers and cabin accommodation is fully en suite. As well as being probably the best time for seabirds, May is a good time for migrant birds and a few rarities on the northern isles, and we'll be on the look out for anything unusual. Who could have predicted the splendid Snowy Owl that we found in 2005 on St Kilda for example, the 2006 Black-browed Albatross nestbuilding on Sula Sgeir, or, most amazing of all, a Trumpeter Finch from the desert that we found on North Rona in 2008?
All these islands can be hard to get to, and bad weather may prevent us going, so the above itinerary is subject to change. However, there is a real chance of getting to all of them, and of experiencing an absolutely unforgettable week. We must emphasise that this is an island trip as much as a wildlife trip! Our main aim will be to get to and, if possible, land on the islands, but of course we'll aim to see as much wildlife - birds, marine mammals, flowers and others - as possible during the week. Click here for a full, printable itinerary |
© Jamie McMillan/Nature Portfolio
Stac an Armin and Borerary, St Kilda - site of the largest Gannet colony in the world!
Prices per person:
The prices are per person, and are fully inclusive of the cruise, meals during the voyage, shore excursions by Zodiac and activities throughout the voyage, lectures and leadership by expedition staff, taxes and port charges, pre-departure information and optional coach transfer Oban/Aberdeen.
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