Quest for Adventure Captain's blog

After our eventful day in St Kilda yesterday we were back to the more regular cruising destination of Stornoway here on the Isle of Lewis. Stornoway is the major town of the Outer Hebrides and lies on the east coast of Lewis. Originally a Viking settlement, the town of Stornoway grew around the naturally sheltered harbour. Sadly, the harbour is not quite deep enough for us to make full use of, and therefore today was another tender port.

Lewis, combined with the neighbouring island of Harris, make up a special part of Scotland, with traditional Scottish ways of life still very much evident in the use of Gaelic language, peat cutting and Sabbath observance. Lewis also has one of the richest archaeological histories in Scotland, with the earliest sites dating back to around 3000 BC – long before the construction of the Stone Age and Iron Age buildings on the island that can be admired today.

I brought the ship into the harbour and anchored out with the channel so as not to impede the Calmac Ferry “Isle of Lewis” running back and forth to the mainland, and also made it safe enough to swing through 360 degrees, however it did look quite close to the shore at certain times of the day but there was plenty of water!!

Six different shore excursions were on offer to the Trust’s passengers: Gearrannan Coastal Walk, Highlights of Harris, Butt of Lewis and Arnol Blackhouse, Uig Panorama, Archaeological Wonders, and Great Bernera Walk. The numerous tours kept the tenders busy running back and forth, whilst the crew were also keen to visit the nearby supermarket. However, the crew had to delay their desire to head ashore for a wee while whilst I ran the weekly crew drill and put them through their paces.

The weather was typical Hebridean fare of four seasons in one day as we had a mix of sunshine, showers, wind, warmth, cold, and more. In light of forecast winds I decided to stay at the anchorage until 10pm, which meant the passengers could guarantee a calm evening meal. The pre-dinner talk was delivered by Professor David Munro and titled, ‘Sea-Girt Isolation’. As we edged our way out into the Minch after dinner, the evening show was called “Where the Heart Is” and featured songs of Scotland, Ireland and beyond performed by mezzo-soprano Debra Stuart and pianist Walter Blair.

I had decided to stay later in the evening so as to allow a comfortable night for dinner and the concert so we picked up at 2230 and headed across the minch to Inverie in Knoydart!

“St Kilda”. Two words that always send shivers down the spine. It is undeniably the annual highlight of the one-week National Trust for Scotland island cruise, and therefore the one place that every single passenger is determined to visit. There is only one suitable landing place, Village Bay on the island of Hirta, but if the wind and/or waves are in the wrong direction there is nothing that can be done. This isolated archipelago lies 41 miles west of North Uist and boasts many claims to fame: the highest sea cliffs in Britain, Europe’s largest gannetry, unique subspecies of wren and mouse, and is Britain’s only UNESCO Dual World Heritage Site. There are only two mammals on Hirta, the Soay sheep and the indigenous St Kilda mouse. Using binoculars from the Bridge I counted hundreds of sheep, and managed to stay awake while doing it! The mice were a wee bit harder to spot.

Well this morning I had been called at 0330 this morning due to fog and I thought here we go!!!. Anyway at 0630 the fog suddenly lifted and in the distance came the sight of St Kilda. The wind was in a very favourable direction from NW but the swell very prominent from the NE which affects Village bay. Anyway, I manoeuvred the ship into the bay, the last few hundred feet “crabbing” sideways into the bay, having the opportunity to drive the ship away if anything went wrong. The wind as expected was eddying around the bay and also the katabatic effect had it very squally. However it was “doable” as we say so we started operations.

The chaps worked incredibly hard again to transfer the eager passengers safely and swiftly to and from the shore. The National Trust for Scotland, who were bequeathed the archipelago in the will of the Marquess of Bute in 1956, continue to do important work here, alongside the Ministry of Defence, to restore parts of the original village which was evacuated and subsequently abandoned in 1930. The temporary post office on the island was doing a roaring trade and the new shop was busy supplying passengers with all manner of souvenirs. We were not alone in the bay as a couple of small boats operating day trips from the Outer Hebrides (three hours each way across the open Atlantic Ocean) had joined us. I know which way I’d prefer to travel! My wife and son went ashore although I’m not sure how lucky Scott realised he was to be visiting this most remote part of Scotland. My only concern is that his next ambition will be to visit Rockall!

The passengers had a wonderful time exploring the island at their leisure. Some of them simply pottered around by the restored church and schoolroom, whilst others strapped on their hiking boots and set off up the peaks towards the Missile Tracking Station. I was pleased to see many of the crew taking the rare opportunity to go ashore on St Kilda as many had seen the lectures on their cabin televisions and were intrigued to step on the islands and say they’d been there – although the one crew member at the gangway who was asking if there was an internet cafe on the island was perhaps not as well informed as his crew mates!

The last tender back from Hirta was at 3.30pm and with the tenders and zodiacs safely stowed I took the ship on a sightseeing trip around the great stacs that form part of the archipelago. Stac Lee, Stac an Armin and Boreray dominate the skyline for miles around and appear quite menacing as you approach. The National Trust for Scotland lecturers came up to the Bridge and delivered a deck commentary as I navigated the ship in between the stacs and then we turned to head to the Outer Hebrides and tomorrow’s port of Stornoway. Tonight was a special night for the National Trust for Scotland as we held a cocktail party to coincide with the 60^th Anniversary of the first NTS cruise.

I feel very proud that since 2008 I have been the Captain for their cruises, and I am delighted that I have been asked to again be their Captain next year. Sir Kenneth Calman, Chairman of the NTS, and Lady Calman cut a celebratory cake and then it was time for dinner. During dinner we passed by the famous Flannan Islands, where in December 1900 the three lighthouse keepers mysteriously vanished. As we approached the light was not showing, but it was still light in the sky, and by the time dessert was served the familiar flashes were beaming across the darkening sky.

The show tonight featured “Tradition with a Twist” as fiddler Marie Fielding and accordionist Tom Orr presented the Best of Scottish Music. A wonderful end to a perfect day in some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes that Scotland has to offer

After our brief sojourn to Ireland we were back in Scotland this morning. Port Ellen is the second largest town in Islay and lies on the south-east coast of the island. It is the main ferry terminal for the route to the mainland at Kennacraig in Argyll. The entrance to the bay is just too shallow for me to risk it with ‘Quest for Adventure’, so we dropped the anchor and tendered our passengers ashore.

When I was growing up in Scotland, Port Ellen was famed throughout the whisky industry as the home of the Port Ellen Distillery, which produced a renowned peaty malt whisky. Although the distillery has now closed down, the large on-site malting remains in operation and continues to supply the eight distilleries in Islay including the world-famous Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Bowmore. It was to these distilleries that many of the tours visited today. Options on the shore excursions included: Kilnaughton Bay to the Singing Sands, RSPB Loch Gruinart, Finlaggan, Kildalton and Laphroaig, Port Charlotte and Bowmore.

The weather was a vast improvement on yesterday with flat seas and no rain. It was still rather overcast, but I’d accept that over rough seas any day! All aboard was set for 6pm and once the last tender was back we were ready to heave the anchor. The pre-dinner talk was delivered by Bob Elliot and titled, ‘St Kilda – An Atlantic Isle of Wonder’.

St Kilda is tomorrow’s destination and I am praying that our annual call is more successful than the sadly aborted attempt last year. We sailed out of the bay guarding the entrance to Port Ellen and headed out into the open Atlantic Ocean. The evening show saw a spectacular one-man performance by Scotland’s musical minstrel in the form of Alastair McDonald with “Songs Around Scotland and Beyond”. Tomorrow promises to be a challenging day, but the forecast is looking favourable so all fingers are crossed for a successful visit to St Kilda.

One feature of this first NTS cruise is that all the ports, with the exception of Greenock, are tender ports. It is going to be a busy time for the deck department, but I have faith that the chaps will see it through without any problems.

Our first port of call today is also our only non-Scottish port of this cruise, here in Greencastle in the Republic of Ireland. The town’s name, in Irish, is An Caisleán Nua, so I was more than happy to use the Anglicised version in my arrival announcement! The town is still a busy fishing port and a plethora of fishing vessels were lining the quayside. We, on the other hand, were required to drop anchor and tender. The location is such that on the one side we had the Republic of Ireland, and on the other side was Northern Ireland, as we were in the mouth of Lough Foyle. The lough is still officially a disputed territory, with both the Republic of Ireland and the UK claiming it. The Belfast Agreement of 1998 settled the argument by “agreeing to disagree” and a cross-border agency is now responsible for the lough.

As with all NTS cruises, there is a large choice of shore excursions to suit all tastes. Eight different shore excursions were in operation today: Inch Wildfowl Reserve, Downhill and Mussenden, Inishowen Panorama, The Walled City of Londonderry, Antrim Coast and Giant’s Causeway, Hidden Inishowen, Malin Head and Cloncha, and Scenic Nature Walk. No wonder the tenders were running back and forth at some pace!

Sadly, in stark contrast to yesterday, a weather front had moved in and we were greeted by low cloud, rain, and during the afternoon the wind picked up. I was very proud of my tender crews for the way they managed to get everyone back safely and in good time. All aboard was set for 7.30pm, and the pre-dinner lecture was delivered by Derek Alexander and titled, “The Kingships and Lordship of the Isles: The Archaeology and History”.

With the ship underway again and heading for Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay, the passengers enjoyed their dinner before taking in a virtuoso concert by the Rhona MacKay Trio called “A Sea of Harmonies: from Classic to Celtic”. The trio features Rhona MacKay on harp and clarsach, Eddie McGuire on flute, and Laura Durrant on cello.

A very good evening to everybody reading this blog. My name is Captain Alistair McLundie and it is a pleasure to be back on board Quest for Adventure. For the fifth consecutive year I am delighted to have been asked by the National Trust for Scotland to be their Captain for their annual charter. This year we have a one week cruise round the Scottish islands, ending in Greenock, and then a two week cruise down to the Bay of Biscay, finishing over in Leith. First of all we have the one week cruise, with visits to Ireland, Islay, St Kilda, Stornoway, Inverie and Rùm.

I arrived here in Greenock early this morning and the ship came into port around 9am having made a fast run up from Milford Haven. Captain David Warden-Owen said farewell to the remaining passengers from the ‘Coasts of Western Europe’ cruise and then whilst we completed our handover formalities the ship was a hive of activity as the National Trust for Scotland staff brought on all their equipment, fittings, paperwork and all that will be necessary to ensure these three weeks are another resounding success.

At 2pm we were ready to welcome our new passengers on board. This cruise is completely sold out so the cruise leaders, Sir Kenneth and Lady Calman, spent a while greeting the embarking passengers at the gangway whilst piper Jim Butler patrolled the quayside to offer everyone a musical welcome.

The weather was perfect, with sunny skies and calm conditions. With everyone on board by 4pm I conducted the mandatory safety drill and then rather than head out into the Clyde we stayed at the berth until 9pm. We only have 94 nautical miles to run to tomorrow’s destination of Greencastle in the Republic of Ireland, so rather than go round in circles during the night I opted to stay here on the berth.

All the passengers, and there are many familiar faces, were busy exploring the ship or reminding themselves of their own favourite areas before enjoying a delightful dinner prepared by Executive Chef, George Streeter. After dinner everyone gathered in the Discovery Lounge for the Welcome Aboard Introductions. I was up on the Bridge at this time, taking the ship down the Clyde, so Sir Kenneth and Lady Calman introduced Cruise Director Elaine Bruges. In case you are wondering what has happened to Neil, he is still here but for these three weeks he acts as a liaison between the ship and the National Trust for Scotland team. Elaine then introduced her staff and the guest lecturers we have on this cruise before she in turn handed the microphone over to Entertainment Manager Robert Lovie.

Including Robert there are ten musicians travelling with us, and each of them made a cameo appearance tonight to offer a flavour of what Scottish delights there are to look forward at the evening shows. It certainly looks like a wonderful mix of entertainers and lecturers, and the show finished with the new Quest Quartet leading the dancing. A perfect way to start the cruise!

What a beautiful day! Wales, being the greatest nation, always puts on a show and she certainly did today. Flat calm waters, sunny skies and tropical weather all combined to make it easily the most splendid day of the cruise since I joined in Bordeaux! The passengers eagerly headed ashore on the tenders with some exploring independently whilst others walked the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park as part of an organised shore excursion. School children from nearby Coastlands Primary School sang on the quayside before the last tender headed back to the ship.

All aboard was set for 12.30pm and we’re now on the run up the Irish Sea to Greenock, where the National Trust for Scotland charter will commence tomorrow. The flat calm Irish Sea has seen passengers sunbathing out on deck whilst others have enjoyed a cocktail outside the Sundowner Bar while watching the test cricket from Lord’s. A perfect afternoon!

Andrew Cooper delivered the second of his two lectures once afternoon tea had been taken. The title was, ‘The Wild West of Britain – Puffins, Porpoises and Seal Pups’. A will shortly be heading to the dining room to host my table, and as I will be leaving in the morning and handing over the ship to Captain Alistair McLundie I will say farewell now.

It has been a pleasure to take the ship from Bordeaux to Greenock and I look forward to rejoining her later in the year for the ‘Legends of Antiquity’ cruise from Istanbul to Malta, complete with the popular Christian theme. I hope you will be able to join me and may God bless all those on Quest for Adventure and I wish everyone well for the National Trust for Scotland cruises.

Yesterday had been an interesting day here on Quest for Adventure. We had been scheduled to arrive at the anchorage for Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, at midday.

During the morning, Bruce George had delivered the last of his lectures, titled, ‘Contemporary French Politics’. There had been plenty going on around the ship, with quizzes, deck sports and more. An early lunch was offered to the passengers in the hope that we would be able to send them ashore in Saint Peter Port.

The pilot duly boarded but I was already fearing the worst. The weather was poor, with very low cloud and outbreaks of rain. A strong wind was blowing parallel to the coast and the conditions were predicted to deteriorate. We lowered a tender to the water to test the conditions and, on the advice of the local pilot, I decided that it would be too risky to operate a tender service into Saint Peter Port. There was a remote chance we could get the passengers ashore, but almost zero chance we would have been able to get them back! Deciding it would be best not to leave anyone stranded in Guernsey we heaved the anchor and continued on our way to Portland. However, with time in hand we took the ship sightseeing and sailed by Herm, Jethou and Sark. On sailing past Sark we sailed close by the island of Brecqhou with a perfect view of the Barclay Brothers’ recently-built mansion surrounded by manicured lawns. Oh how the other half live!

With an unexpected afternoon at sea, Brigadier Mike Shaw volunteered first to fill the gap with a lecture on ‘D-Day and the Normandy Landings’. Elsewhere the cinema was proving popular with the showing of the latest Bond film. The pre-dinner lecture was delivered by Martin P. Lee and titled, ‘The Story of the English Channel’ and at approximately 7pm we made the approach to Portland and berthed for the night. The forecast for the English Channel was heavy seas overnight so I thought best to arrive the night before to ensure there was no unnecessary discomfort.

The evening entertainment included a virtuoso performance from classical pianist Maria Garzón, and a Cabaret Special night in Shackleton’s Bar with Steve Terry and the Quest Quartet. With that it was time for some of our passengers to pack as they were to be leaving us in the morning, whilst others are staying on to Milford Haven and Greenock.

We awoke in Portland this morning to much better conditions than yesterday. A complimentary shuttlebus was taking those passengers who will continue their voyage with us to Portland Castle and Weymouth, whilst we said goodbye to those passengers who were leaving us today. This is our first UK mainland call since Dover on 18^th August last year, and as you can imagine there was a lot of supplies to load and visitors from our Head Office.

The numerous morning meetings were soon complete and we had also welcomed nineteen passengers who have taken the opportunity of a mini-cruise from Portland to Greenock. Amongst the 19 were 3 chums plus their wives from my pre-sea training  school, HMS Conway.

With their safety briefing complete we departed from Portland shortly after 2pm and headed back out into the English Channel. Two of the ORCA team are still with us and they were busy scouring the seas for signs of marine life as we headed past Portland Bill and out towards Land’s End. Lecturer Andrew Cooper, formerly of the BBC’s Natural History Unit, has joined us for these two days and presented the first of his talks, ‘BBC Natural History and the Dramatic Birth of the English Channel’ in the Discovery Lounge. A number of passengers were up on deck watching the UEFA Europa League final on the big screen before an enjoyable cabaret showtime with Welsh songstress Maria Lyn and the new Quest Quartet, who had also embarked today. The forecast for tomorrow is looking favourable so we hope for a good morning in Milford Haven.

We had arrived into Lorient shortly after midnight and enjoyed a comfortable night’s sleep before getting ready to see the passengers off on their shore excursions in the morning. Both the shore excursions were visiting Carnac Megaliths, with the first also going to Saint Goustan while the second took in the Wild Coast of Brittany. It was quite a chilly day and felt a little sympathy for the crew as we ran what is known as an ‘in port manning’ drill for their weekly safety exercise. This involves the entire crew mustering on the quayside, and as a few flakes of snow descended from the sky I had to remind myself that summer is meant to be approaching. With the drill complete there was certainly more urgency from the crew in coming up the gangway than there had been going down!

An afternoon tour took passengers to the nearby World War II U-Boat Base. Lorient was bombed extensively by the Allies as they tried to disable the base, but the construction had included walls of such thickness that it survived and serves as a reminder to the horrors of submarine warfare to this day.

A shuttlebus operated to and from the ship, passing the upside-down Union flag which was turned the correct way by Neil when he spotted the error. The town centre was quiet, as many are in France on a Monday, but it was a pleasant area to stroll around. Clive and I took the ship’s bikes out for a bit of exercise but we made sure we were back in time for Clive to play for Afternoon Tea and for me to prepare the ship for sailing.

At 5pm we let the ropes go and edged our way out of Lorient, navigating the channel back into the Atlantic Ocean. Speaking of the Atlantic, the pre-dinner lecture was delivered by Brigadier Mike Shaw and titled, “The Battle for the Atlantic Part Two”. The ORCA team were up on deck looking out for any marine life at this northern tip of the Bay of Biscay and then it was time for me to host the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail Party. It felt a little strange, having not hosted a welcome one, but it was good to again see familiar faces among the passengers.

The evening entertainment was one of the highlights of the cruise as the Filipino crew presented their “Crew Show”. Neil compared the show, starting off quite happily, but becoming more saddened as the show progressed. It transpired that his beloved Brighton & Hove Albion were losing and thereby missing out on a place at Wembley. The rousing finale to the show couldn’t help but lift his spirits and the passengers gave a worthy standing ovation for the performance.

We had made good progress through the night and arrived promptly at the anchorage for Belle-Île.

This pretty island is the largest of Brittany’s islands and we had anchored off the main port of Le Palais in good time for the first tour to head ashore. The sea conditions were not perfect, but they were good enough for our hardy souls to venture on to this quaint French island.

Tours included a Wild Coast Tour, with morning and afternoon departures, and a tour of Belle-Île and the Citadel. Some passengers went ashore independently and completed a circumnavigation of the island using the local bus. I’m reliably informed by those luckier than me to go ashore that the harbour front was bustling. Many tourists use Sunday as their turnaround day and there was a constant stream of ferries going back and forth, with our tenders running in between. I spent most of the day on the Bridge using the bow thrusters and ship’s engines to continual create a lee for the tender platform so I’ll have to come back again if I’m to have the pleasure of setting foot on this delightful island.

The last tender was scheduled to leave the shore at 6.30pm, and with its prompt return to the ship I was able to conduct the Interdenominational Church Service, complete with the ever-inspiring Filipino Choir.

The Romanov Trio played their last ever concert on board ‘Quest for Adventure’ before dinner in Shackleton’s Bar and then I joined Neil to sample the French dinner that had been prepared by Executive Chef George in the Verandah. In keeping with the French theme, Cruise Staff David hosted a French trivia quiz in Shackleton’s Bar before the main show featured Spanish classical pianist Maria Garzón.

It proved rather chilly for a deck party outside the Sundowner Bar, so Neil moved his DJ equipment down to Shackleton’s Bar and the party continued until midnight. We were not due to arrive into our next port of call, Lorient, until 8 o’clock tomorrow morning, but rather than bob around in the Bay of Biscay for the night I have decided to take the ship in to port this evening and we are due to arrive at 1am. Anything to ensure a good night’s sleep for the passengers!

“Bonjour!”

It’s  Captain David here and it was only just over two weeks ago that I left ‘Quest for Adventure’ not realising I would be back quite so soon.

However, it is wonderful to be back on my favourite ship!

My stay will be a fairly brief one though, as I will be taking the ship up to Greenock where Captain Alistair McLundie will begin the National Trust for Scotland charter on 17^th May.

I flew into Bordeaux last night and then embarked this morning once Captain Mark Symonds had spun her round on the high tide in the river and berthed in the heart of bustling Bordeaux. Quite a strange feeling to watch the ship dock from the quayside and not be on the bridge doing the manoeuvre.

I remember that the marketing slogan we used to use on the much-loved ‘Spirit of Adventure’ was “we get you closer”. Well today has been a fine example of that, with the ship being within easy walking distance of all the main attractions in this delightful city. As you may expect the passengers were soon heading out to explore Bordeaux independently, or indulge in a farm visit, or a trip to Saint Emilion Village and Vineyard.

Having greeted my crew and officers I was pleased to have the opportunity to wish Cruise Director Neil a joyous 35^th birthday. I first met Neil when he was the Assistant Cruise Director on Saga Ruby’s first World Cruise back in 2006. My how times change and he doesn’t look a day older!

Due to the tidal restrictions in the rivers that govern the approaches to Bordeaux, we were not leaving until eight o’clock this evening. This gave everyone, both passengers and crew, the chance to make the most of our visit and then at 7.30pm it was all aboard as we prepared to head downstream. Those of you who have sailed with us to Bordeaux on previous occasions may recall a new lifting bridge was being built across the river. This has now been complete and so we had the rather spectacular site of the roadway being raised to enable us to pass underneath as we left Bordeaux. The friendly French pilots guided us back downstream before leaving us in the early hours of the morning.

Whilst we were sailing down the river the evening entertainment saw Comedy Vocalist Steve Terry entertain in the Discovery Lounge before a late night cabaret slot by Cruise Staff Nicki Synkar.

A very pleasant way to start my week back on board!

Yesterday our passengers enjoyed their only day at sea of the entire cruise. As you would expect, there was a packed programme of activities throughout the day. Lectures included: ‘1807: Flight from Lisbon – Napoleon, Britain and the Portuguese Royal Family’, ‘Francisco Franco’, ‘The Wines of Spain and Portugal’, and ‘The Battle for the Atlantic Part One’. Executive Chef George opened the doors to the galley and there were ballroom and line dancing classes as well as deck sports, spa demonstrations, Bridge visits, exercise classes and musical quizzes. Not surprisingly everything appeared to grind to a halt at 4pm as the Afternoon Chocolate Tea, complete with the Chocolate Fountain with fresh strawberries for dipping, was declared open in the Discovery Lounge.

Before dinner we held the Britannia Club Cocktail Party and then rather than host my table in the dining room I headed back up to the Bridge to welcome the Santander pilot. As mentioned in my previous blog, I had decided to proceed to Santander in a timely manner to avoid bobbing around in the Bay of Biscay unnecessarily. So it was that whilst the passengers were tucking into their dinner I brought the ship alongside in this new destination for the ‘adventure’ ships. The show last night saw Swing Singer Mark Porter delight the audience with his mix of choices from the Great American Songbook.

With the ship tied up alongside, a good night’s sleep was enjoyed by all. This morning the shore excursions departed to Santillana & Comillas, as well as a panoramic tour of Santander itself. There was no requirement for a shuttlebus as we had been able to berth very close to the town centre. All aboard was set for 3.30pm which gave little opportunity to explore after lunch, so there were a few more activities taking place on the ship during the afternoon. Neil hosted a Classical Music Quiz in Shackleton’s Bar while Master of Wine Anne Tupker looked ahead to ‘The Wines of Bordeaux’ with the last of her tasting sessions. We left the port at 4pm, complete with an excellent surprise musical send-off from a large brass band.

The ORCA team were immediately up on deck as we left as the area we will be sailing through is a prime location for whales and dolphins. Sure enough, it was a little bumpy as we came out of the harbour, but with the stabilisers now active the ship has calmed down and we’re making good speed for the Bordeaux pilot station. The pilot is due to embark, via helicopter, at 3.30 tomorrow morning so I am understandably going to have an early night so I will conclude this blog now.

In Bordeaux I will be handing over control of the ship to Captain David Warden-Owen, and then I shall be saying goodbye to Saga as I am moving on to join another cruise line. Over the last 18 months that I have been with Saga I have had the great pleasure of meeting many passengers and crew members who have made my relatively short time here a real pleasure. You will all know that whilst the Captain is always the figure head of the operation, he would be useless if it were not for the tireless and dedicated support of everyone one else.

So many are involved in making a cruise a success from our supportive management & teams ashore to the dedicated officers and crew members who serve you every day and I wish Saga and them all the very best for the future and every success. And of course it would not be fun onboard all these months at a time without our wonderful passengers so a very big thank you to all who have sailed with me during my time here, and I wish everyone the very best of luck for the future. Farewell and smooth seas!

Vilagarcía de Arousa is one of four ports that are used by cruise ships to allow access to Santiago de Compostela. The other three being La Coruña, Ferrol and Vigo. However, Vilagarcía de Arousa must surely be one of the most welcoming of the four. We arrived this morning and a land tourist train was on the quayside ready to take the passengers into the town. This was a kind complimentary arrangement by the local Chamber of Commerce.

Whilst Vilagarcía de Arousa is a charming enough place, there is no hiding the fact that the principal reason for coming here is to let passengers have the opportunity to visit the inspiring pilgrimage destination of Santiago de Compostela, and it was to there that the first shore excursion headed. The other shore excursion this morning took passengers to delightful Pontevedra. The weather has certainly turned much colder compared to the scorching start to the cruise. Many passengers opted to stay on board during the afternoon and enjoyed Brigadier Mike Shaw discussing ‘Sea Power and the Atlantic Shore’ before Martin P. Lee presented, ‘The Story of Spain’. The cinema was also proving a popular attraction with the latest version of “Les Misérables” showing throughout the day ahead of our upcoming visit to France.

All aboard was set for 7.30pm and tonight I decided to head at a decent speed round to our next port of call, Santander. We were due to have a full day at sea tomorrow, and arrive into Santander on Friday morning, but there is a weather system in the vicinity which I am keen to avoid, so we will now arrive into Santander tomorrow evening. Having informed the passengers of this we said farewell to Vilagarcía de Arousa, and they returned the farewell with a wonderful display of dancing from the local children accompanied by musicians with traditional Galician instruments. A wonderful send-off and further proof of our warm welcome to this port.

The show tonight saw a second performance from the excellent Rachael Russell and then a fun late night cabaret with Neil, Clive, June and a guest appearance from Rachael herself, singing “Summertime” by Gershwin with accompaniment from Neil on the piano. A perfect end to a marvellous day.

Why have two Portuguese ports when you can have three! So it was that we completed our trio of Portuguese ports today with a visit to Leixões, which serves as the harbour for nearby Porto. The three Portuguese ports all highlight different attributes of Portugal – from Portimão’s bright seaside resort, to the bustle of capital Lisbon, to the fairly laid-back ambience of Porto.

Shore excursions were soon heading off to Wine Lodges, Porto Tastings and the Douro River. With complimentary wine at lunch on this cruise, those passengers who were sampling the wine on the tours and then having free wine at lunch were certainly first in line for the obligatory afternoon snooze in the library! For those that hadn’t succumbed to the wine there were a couple of afternoon lectures to occupy the mind. Martin P. Lee presented, ‘The Story of Portugal’ before former Member of Parliament Bruce George delivered, ‘António de Oliveira Salazar’. Louise Just was the duty cruise staff and kept passengers busy with deck quoits, shuffleboard and her own invention – Dancercise. With a relatively short run along the coast to Vilagarcía de Arousa tonight I decided to stay a little longer in port to allow the passengers to have more time to explore independently. There was a Student Parade taking place in town, which I am told takes place before graduation so that everyone can celebrate, regardless of whether or not they pass their exams!

All aboard was therefore 6.30pm as we prepared to sail back to Spain. The show tonight featured Swing Singer Mark Porter and the Quest Quartet and then it was a fairly early night for most passengers with an hour forward on the clocks to adjust back to Spanish time.

With ‘Saga Ruby’ hot on our tails (she is due into Lisbon tomorrow) we arrived into Lisbon early this morning, passing under the famous bridge before docking close to the centre of the town. We normally dock closer to the Belém Tower, but the pilot was eager to place us in the best available berth and I was more than happy to accept his invitation.

Once again, almost as soon as the gangway had landed on the quayside the passengers were off on their tours. Arrabida Mountains, Palace of Ajuba, Lisbon Overview and Lisbon Panoramic were all on offer today and whilst the weather was nowhere near as hot and sunny as yesterday, it was thankfully dry. With all the shore excursions operating in the morning, there was a sizeable programme of activities in the afternoon. The lecture series began with a Port and Sherry Tasting by Master of Wine Anne Tupker. Former British High Commissioner to Singapore, Alan Hunt CMG, then presented ‘Christopher Columbus: Hero, Fool or Villain?’ Elsewhere a Fruit Tea was enjoyed by all before it was all aboard at 4.30pm and we made our preparations to head back out to sea. Neil again came up to the Bridge and delivered a deck commentary on the sights we were passing, and many passengers joined the ORCA team up on the Sun Deck Forward to both take in the sights and assist in looking out for signs of marine life.

Today also marked a special day for ‘Quest for Adventure’ as it is her first birthday. Sadly, it is also her last birthday, but we still wanted to celebrate in style. It was exactly a year ago, on 6^th May 2012, that Captain Wesley Dunlop sailed the freshly named ‘Quest for Adventure’ out of Southampton on her inaugural cruise. To mark the occasion Executive Chef George had prepared a deck barbecue for the evening, and then this was followed by Neil hosting a Deck Birthday Party. In Shackleton’s Bar, Louise presented a tricky Portuguese trivia quiz and Clive also set about celebrating the Quest’s birthday in his own inimitable style.

We arrived this morning into the town of Portimão on the Algarve coast of Portugal. The weather had stayed glorious, although mercifully there was a slight sea breeze as opposed to the stillness of yesterday in Seville.

The passengers were soon up and about and ready to embrace a new country as they headed out on their tours. Options included Scenic Western Algarve, Jeep Countryside Adventure, and Lagos and Portimão. With the passengers all ashore I took the opportunity to put the crew through their paces with the weekly drill. With the drill complete I saw some of my Ukrainian officers heading ashore to call home as they are celebrating the Orthodox Easter today. Speaking of Easter, we had our regular interdenominational church service during the afternoon which included a retiring collection for Mercy Ships.

All aboard was set for 4.30pm as I wanted to be out of the harbour and finished with the pilot in time to be able to greet passengers to my Welcome Cocktail Party. During my address I informed the passengers that I will be leaving ‘Quest for Adventure’ in Bordeaux and Captain David Warden-Owen will be taking the ship on up to Portland and Greenock.

I hosted a very enjoyable table with Assistant Cruise Director Angela before taking the opportunity to watch a first-rate show performed by Classical Vocalist Rachael Russell. We’ve now turned round the corner of Portugal and are heading north up to Lisbon. Sea conditions are quite reasonable and I’m hopeful of a pleasant run up the coast.

Our transit up the Guadalquivir River on Thursday night had gone smoothly, in spite of the bridge guarding the entrance to the berth in the heart of Seville not opening as planned. I don’t speak fluent Spanish but I could clearly understand the gist of the pilot’s message to the bridge operator as we had to come to a halt whilst sailing backwards with tugboat assistance just short of the unopened bridge! Fortunately it soon opened and we were berthed in the early hours of the morning in downtown Seville.

Friday began with our turnaround day as we bade farewell to those passengers who had been sailing with us from Civitavecchia. I know around 40 are staying on for the next cruise, and they had the chance to wander the streets of glorious Seville at their leisure. This port really is a true epitome of ‘adventure cruising’ as whilst some cruise lines advertise Seville and then put “from Cadiz” in the small print, we are small enough to be docked within 500 yards of the ornate Plaza de España. With our new passengers safely embarked there were a couple of welcome introductory talks and then an early night was had by all to recharge the batteries after a day’s travelling.

Saturday morning began bright and early with a couple of shore excursions heading out into the city. A panoramic tour of Seville, or a visit to the Flamenco Museum complete with a colourful performance were on offer. There was no need for a shuttlebus with the entire town within easy walking distance. The weather was perfect, hot and sunny and the passengers were making the most of it before we head back towards the UK. All aboard was set for 4.30pm, and with the passenger drill complete we began to head back downstream towards the Atlantic Ocean. Neil came up to the Bridge and delivered a deck commentary as we headed past the now sadly defunct shipyards and round the old lock before entering the new lock. On the way past the old shipyard there was a disused crane which has become a home to white storks. I counted six separate nests and you could see the chicks heads bobbing up and down as they eagerly awaited their parents return.

Once we were secured in the lock, the ORCA team presented their welcome talk, delivered by Wildlife Officer Anna Totterdell. The ORCA team are very much looking forward to our time in the Bay of Biscay, and must surely be the only ones who are! I stayed up on the Bridge as we continued our passage downstream, whilst the passengers enjoyed a classical concert from the Romanov Trio in the Discovery Lounge. It’s an hour back on the clock tonight as we head for Portugal – an hour I will definitely very much appreciate!

Mother Nature finally answered our call yesterday and we spent a beautiful sunny day at sea on a flat calm Mediterranean. The only disturbance being the occasional wash from Saga Sapphire which was also en route to Gibraltar. The deck sports were popular for the first time, as passengers had the chance to enjoy the sunshine, while there was still a strong turnout for the lectures. Sir David Durie is the former Governor of Gibraltar and he presented two talks about the history and current status of this famous British outpost. Professor Edward Gregson also delivered two talks, one regarding Italian opera and the other about his life as a composer. The latest Bond movie thrilled those in the cinema whilst Clive Carrington accompanied the ever-popular Viennese Tea.

I welcomed passengers to the Farewell Cocktail Party before having the pleasure of presenting the 'Employee of the Month' awards for April. The Cabaret Showtime saw a second performance by vocalist Jane Beaumont before the night ended with an hour-long late night set from Clive, Neil and various special guests.

We arrived early this morning into Gibraltar. The pilots positioned us on the same long berth as Saga Sapphire, with us mooring back-to-back. Both the ships were only staying until 1pm but this still gave ample opportunity for crew to visit each other.

Despite only being there for the morning, we were offering four different shore excursions: Dolphin Watch, Fortress Gibraltar, The Rock, and Europa Point & English Tea. Europa Point is always a good trivia question as it houses the most southerly lighthouse operated by Trinity House.

All aboard was set for 12.30pm and I was keen to get away promptly as we will be heading up the Guadalquivir River tonight, on our way to Seville. Therefore we slipped the lines before Saga Sapphire and proceeded out into the Strait of Gibraltar. The ORCA team were eagerly up on deck as the Strait is one of the best locations for spotting whales and dolphins. The pre-dinner lecture was delivered by Sir James Hodge and titled, ‘Trafalgar: The Making of a Legend’.

As I write this, dinner is just starting, but I will soon be welcoming the Seville pilot on board to begin our 52 nautical miles transit up the Guadalquivir River and into the centre of Seville. Naturally I will be stationed on the Bridge throughout our transit so hence my writing this blog now. Tomorrow is our turnaround day in Seville and, all too quickly, the cruise will be over. It has certainly been an eventful one-week cruise and I know around forty passengers are staying on with us for the next voyage. It promises to be no less eventful!