Saga Pearl II Captain's blog

Hi this is Heidi again,
 
I was told almost a week ago by one of the Pilots that this was one of the ‘safe’ places to swim in the Amazon. He then mentioned that if we do swim, we should make sure we do not tread on the seabed as there are many ‘large, flat fish (Stingrays) that can sting your feet!

On arrival, the sun was out and it was a lovely, hot day with expected temperature of 30 ‘C, we dropped anchor in a sheltered tributary; the ‘Rio Tabajos’. The tender operation begun and we all enjoyed the calm sail through the clearer waters, which lapped gently at the white sandy beaches which fringed the luscious jungle at the water’s edge.

On arrival to the tender’s jetty, the passengers were intrigued to witness the local children playing in the water and fishing with just a tiny piece of line and a sharp stick (nevertheless, we never actually witnessed a catch!)

Music could be heard from the tiny village market where hand crafted trinkets and priceless gifts for family and friends back home could be brought.
 
After a long, hot two hours shift shore side, my next assignment was to crew the ship’s inflatable rescue boat with the Chief Officer and Safety Officer. It’s an  important job running around in the rescue boat in 28 ‘C, but hey someone has to do it! 

Apart from being on hand for any mechanical requirements any of our tenders might require the inflatable needed a run around to check it’s engine over and make sure ‘it was all working efficiently!’  

After my stint was over I sampled some local fish (eaten at a restaurant where the tables and chairs are situated in the river water!). A swim in the Amazon and a then fast ride back to the ship  after which the rescue boat was stored back on the forecastle until the next beautiful port on a sunny day!
 
Have a great day!

Cadet Heidi Clevett,

We were docked overnight here in Manaus, giving our passengers another chance to go out and sample the culture of this wonderful city independently.

The crew had a rare opportunity to have a ‘run ashore’ and enjoy Manaus’ night life; and they did by all accounts!
 
After waking this morning we had one morning and one afternoon excursion today. The first excursion to depart was the Jungle Trekking tour. This tour was guided by a skilled professional. This was definitely a walk with a difference. After boarding a regional riverboat, the passengers travelled on the Rio Negro to reach Guedes lake. 

Here they set off on a Jungle trail. After several stops and a lot of informative information about survival techniques, the passengers embarked the riverboat for the return journey back to Manaus.
 
Our final excursion here in Manaus was an Amazon River Cruise. This was a 4 ½ hour excursion. After an hour riverboat ride down the dark waters of the Rio Negro, the cruise took the passengers to the January Lake. Here the passengers disembarked the riverboat and embarked onto motorised 10-seater canoes.

Later they had the chance to purchase local Indian arts and crafts, before rejoining the riverboat. During the tour they crossed the ‘Meeting of the Waters’; the joining of the Rio Negro with Rio Solimoes.  (Coca-Cola & Coffee with cream – remember?)
 
At around 7:00pm  tonight we set sail for our next port of call, Parintins, Brazil.
 
The start of the River Cities of Brazil Cruise.

Eight hundred and eighty miles up the river Amazon is the bustling port of Manaus – the ‘Paris of the Jungle’ and the capital of Brazil’s state of Amazonas.
 
Our berth is a mighty pontoon, similar to Liverpool’s Pier Head landing stage, only difference being the temperature and the colour of the river!

At the top of the walkway against the reinforced side walls is a large green board, on which is recorded annually the highest water level reached. To date, 2009 is the highest recorded level which by all accounts from the positioning of the mark, the river flooding over into the roadway. A rise of almost 40 metres,  I’m reliably informed.
 
Today it’s well down, in fact so much so that it’s quite a steep incline up the ramp from the pontoon to the road and nearby shopping centre.
When I say bustling port,  I really mean just that. On the inside of our berth are local ferries squeezed alongside each our all toting for business, not from us but from local traders, all needing their stores shipped to the various villages and settlements dotted around the river.

It’s fascinating to watch the assortment of goods being unloaded from trucks and private vans and manually loaded onto the ferries, plus foot passengers loaded down with their local  purchases. And the music - the Brazilians love their music!
 
Our arrival at 10.00am was celebrated in typical Brazilian style with a troop of flamboyantly dressed dancer performing with such energy, bringing much pleasure and joy to the watching observers from the decks above.

After the official formalities were completed, many took the opportunity to head down the gangway to explore the near surroundings as our tours were off in the afternoon.
 
The first excursion, Best of Manaus, departed at around 2:15pm. This excursion took our passengers to first visit the Teatro Amazonas, The Opera House. With visits and stops to the National Institute of Amazonian Research, and the Science Museum, this 4 ½ hour tour really gave our passengers a great insight into what Manaus really has to offer. Our other shore excursion is an evening tour - Caiman Spotting.

This magnificent tour takes our passengers out into the Amazon by motorised canoes. Before boarding the canoes, the tour starts with a moonlit riverboat cruise into the dense jungle backwaters. Passengers then transfer into local dug-out canoes. Under expert direction from the guides, the passengers glide silently into the flooded forest in search of the caimans.

After numerous catches and the chance to hold and have a photograph taken with a ‘caiman’ our passengers re-board the riverboat and head back to the Saga Pearl II. 
 
For those remaining on the ship, Cruise Director, Tanya Whitehurst arranged for “Grupo Regional Andira” to perform a local folkloric show in the Discovery lounge. By all accounts it was a spectacular show and a wonderful way to finish this leg of the Grand Voyage.
 
For me it was time to recharge my batteries in preparation for the next adventure down the Amazon River which starts tomorrow!
 
Chao chao!

 

The below entry is written by Cadet Heidi Clevett, Parintins:

As a member of the 4-8 watch, I missed the later arrival and anchorage off Parintins but, appearing from my rest, it was quite obvious that the ship was exposed to strong current and wind.

Anchor ports are always busy days as there has to be someone to man, not only the gangway but also shore side (a lot of these shift slots filled by Cadets) There also has to be someone to drive the small tender-boats. So, with that in mind, my first job was to go shore side and aid people on and off the small tender-boats as they ferried passengers ashore.

Unfortunately, because of the adverse weather conditions, the tenders were finding it very difficult to get alongside the ship and it was even harder for the passengers to climb aboard! Although, true to its turbulent form, the Brazilian weather eased off and together with the Captain thrusting the ship round to a better position, myself; along with 50 patient passengers made the rocky journey ashore.

On arrival, it was established that another boat was to act as our mooring ‘platform’ and we were to make our way across this one using a red piece of carpet that had been laid across the beam of the ship as our gangway. It was a simple yet interesting manoeuvre for most of the passengers as a small Chihuahua and a local family had taken up temporary residence at the back of the boat, all extremely friendly and keen to smile and great the newcomers ashore.

This ‘platform’ or rather boat, was actually one of the hundreds of travelling hotels for the locals that motor up and down the river from Belem to Manaus. Apparently, this journey can take up to 5 days and during this time the travellers attach a wide array of colourful hammocks to the deck head to sleep and live on for the 5 days!

On returning to the ship, the other Cadets and I were to attend the evenings cocktail party, chatting and mingling with all the exhausted but happy passengers after their afternoon ashore watching the ‘Boi Bumba show’ (a major festival in the Amazon).

Cadet Heidi Clevett, 

You may remember that I mentioned in an earlier blog that I might have one of our three Cadets write an entry.

Well below is the first of many to be written by Cadet Heidi Clevett.  I hope you enjoy her entries as we sail down the Amazon toward the delta and open sea.
 
“Being one of the three Cadets onboard, I was to stand a watch on the Bridge throughout our time in the River. This was so that the extra Bridge-team member could aid the Captain and officer of the watch, with the navigation and lookout duties while in the confined waters of the river. (And also give the helmsman a break from the constant steering!)

My watch consisted of the 4-8 which means I do two watches a day and am one of the many crew members which has to wake at 3:30am! Being on the Bridge constantly, gave us plenty of experience (if not only with the loud, but extremely friendly and at times entertaining Brazilian Pilots) but also the wonderful opportunity to witness the pure splendour of this amazing country, with all the beautiful sights to experience from the Bridge along the way.

Before arriving in Manaus, the Pilot had recommended me an award winning local restaurant and wrote down the dish I was to order! So, after my watch the other two Cadets and I, stumbled into the street to hail down a taxi and tried in vain to translate what we wanted to the taxi-driver. After a few stops in unwelcoming and unlikely places we pulled up outside a beautiful authentic Portuguese restaurant and sampled the delights of (what we later found to be) Pirirucu (a local 2 and a half metre fish) and Piranha fish cakes!

Afterwards, we manoeuvred through the Brazilian masses to experience the markets and the variety of local things on offer, where between the three of us we managed to purchase over 10 pairs of Havaianas (famous Brazilian flip-flops).”

Cadet Heidi Clevett,

This morning at 8:15am we had our first shore excursion, Maica Lake Cruise.

This excursion was an excellent opportunity to explore the ecosystem of the Amazon. The river cruise first of all headed out to visit the Wedding of the Waters, where the Amazon and the Tapajos Rivers come together. Heading downstream to Maica, the natural outlet, there is an opportunity to look for the regions rare pink dolphins!

Our second excursion this morning was the ZOOFIT tour. ZOOFIT is a 146-hectare animal refuge which was established in 1993 to protect the large number of Amazonian animals requiring care and attention.

This excursion was a fantastic way for our passengers to see how the animals are cared for and to see how they are treated to recover from any injuries they may have sustained.
Our third and final excursion today was the Highlights of Santarem. The tour began with a drive along the bustling waterfront of Santarem.

Here you can see a variety of different boats that dock here from all over the Amazon.  The excursion then took our passengers to Santarem Cathedral, Wedding of the waters, Town Hall Museum and finally on to the native village to visit the Casa da farinha, an old manioc flour factory.
 
All too quickly it was time to let go the ropes again and this time head off to Boca De Valeria, a remote jungle village at the mouth of Rio da Valeria. It was a typical rainy season morning as we approached our anchorage. Hot, humid and exceedingly wet as waves of tepid rain showers passed over. This did not dampen the enthusiasm of our intrepid explorers as loaded tenders eased their way up the narrow channel to the village.

Eagerly awaiting the arrival of our passengers were the inhabitants of the village plus what seemed like boat loads of children shipped in from the neighbouring town of Parintins. All hoping to make a buck or two from having their photograph taken with our passengers!

I must say that they were all very polite and nicely dressed, some in traditional Brazilian dress.

Wet and muddy but ever so pleased to have witnessed indigenous Amazonian life first hand and aided the village economy, our weary passengers returned to comfort of the Saga Pearl II in time for us to set sail at 1:00pm for Manaus.

I owe you faithful readers an apology for the lack of blog entries during this Amazonian Adventure, but operationally it is very demanding of my time with Navigational duties. I’m either on the Bridge or catching up on valuable rest time.

With the benefit of hindsight I should have given the blog submissions to one of our three Cadets during this sector. Maybe I still will, but in the meantime here is a summary of the events so far.
 
After letting go a few minutes after midnight we slowly moved away from the berth against the strong flooding tide.
 
I finished my last blog anticipating a long night ahead.  Well it was a very long night!
 
The Belem port pilot left us at 2:00am after which it was not until 6:30am that the 2 Amazon River pilots commenced their duty as we entered the South Channel of the Amazon river. At this time we had re-crossed the equator and for a brief while back in the Northern Hemisphere but soon passed back to the Southern Hemisphere!
 
Thirty hours later we came to our anchorage at a creek called Curua Una. Out of nowhere appeared a flotilla of local ferries which had sailed 6 hours from the town of Santarem to take our passenger on a River Cruise experience.

This region of the Amazon is of breathtaking beauty with its immense jungle ecosystem and home of the unique giant water lilies. The Curua River Cruise tour was a great success; they enjoyed all that they set out to see and even caught a few piranhas!
 
Next on our itinerary was Santarem, a mere 40 miles upstream from Curua Una. With everyone safely back aboard from the river cruise and our anchor “aweigh” at 6:00pm we continued onwards.
By 8:00pm the lights of Santarem were clearly visible,  by 9:00pm we were approaching the berth and all fast for the night by 9:30pm.

Time for a well earned night’s sleep!

Since leaving Barbados we made a brief stop at Port of Spain to bunker fuel oil then on the 22nd we crossed the Equator and met King Neptune! My typing is hindered somewhat by the injury sustained from the fun and games of the initiation ceremony of “pollywogs” ! Great fun was had by all even if it was an unplanned dunking for unsuspecting observers.

The next highlight was our first Brazilian port of Belem some 90 miles from the open sea. The outpouring of the mighty Amazon river was seen by the decolourisation of the sea well out into the open sea.

Our river delta pilot joined us at a place called Espararte at 6:00am after which we weaved our way toward Belem until we reached Mosqueira where the docking pilot boarded.  For the Saga Pearl II to berth we had to allow the tide to rise sufficiently to ensure an adequate under keel clearance for docking.

This meant we had to adjust our arrival to coincide with High Water at 1:00pm. By 1:30pm we were nicely alongside and fully secure with our mooring ropes straining against the start of the Ebb Tide. I must tell you this, we recorded the highest temperature this year - 101 degrees Fahrenheit! I was almost melting as I stood out on the bridge wing bringing the ship alongside.  The engine controls were so hot that I could hardly touch them. 

Now I know why they say “Only mad dogs and English men go out in the midday sun”!  But I’m Welsh....

Anyway back to business.  We had two excursions arranged for today, the first departing at 2:00pm. This first excursion was the ‘Guama River Exploration’. This tour offered our passengers something a little different, an opportunity to experience the scenic waterways and lush vegetation of the Amazon River.

The tour embarked a boat for a one hour ride along the creeks, channels and narrow canals of the majestic Amazon River leading to the island of Boa Vista do Acara. En route, our passengers indulged in the sights of local canoes, fishing boats and homes built on stilts.

Upon arrival at Boa Vista, the tour then went on a guided walk through the forest; visiting the native Caboclo residents and marvelling at the wonderfully diverse vegetation of the Amazon. After the informative walking tour our passengers again embarked the boat for a return ride to Belem before boarding the Saga Pearl II.
 
Our second and final excursion of today was ‘Belem City Tour’; a 4 hour insight into the heart of Belem. The tour began with a stop at the Ver-o-Peso market, the largest market in Brazil. Our passengers were able to browse the stalls offering pottery, handicrafts, handmade clothing, vegetables, tropical fruit and fish.

Continuing onto Forte do Castelo, a 17th century fortress which protected the city against attacks by Holland and France. Here, it offered spectacular panoramic views of the beautiful Belem and its wide bay. The next stop was the Emilio Goeldi Park, covering over 12 acres of woodland.

Finally the tour visits the Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth. This stunning church is based on St Peters in Rome, and has breathtaking stained glass and a beautiful alter. After exploring this wonderful building, our passengers embarked the coach to return back to the ship.

We were not due to set sail till around 10:30pm this evening, due to tidal restrictions, so we were pleased to have a local show come on board and perform a fantastic display of music and dance for our passengers.

It’s going to be a long night so I’ll sign off for now.  Take care.

This morning we arrived at the berth in Castries, St. Lucia at around 8:00am. Little has changed in the port of Castries since I last visited some 2 years ago. The ex Southampton tug – “Chale” is still operating albeit rather in need of a lick of paint!

Still it was on station and available should we have needed its assistance as we entered the narrow channel leading into the harbour. Once inside I turned the Saga Pearl II off the banana berth and approached our berth stern-first.

Typically the Caribbean morning rinse drenched all of us on the Bridge wing as the final adjustment to our docking manoeuvre.  At least it was a warmish rain and besides it was over as quickly as it came. It wouldn’t be the Caribbean without the morning rinse!
 
As soon as we had the gangway down and the ship was cleared by the local authorities, our first excursion was at their starting blocks and away down to C deck to be first onto the awaiting buses. This tour was the Morne Coubaril and La Soufriere excursion.

It started by taking our passengers to a working cocoa plantation. This 4 ½ hour tour headed along the west coast, through some quaint villages and onto Soufriere, stopping to see the Sulphur Springs. After this, the tour then stopped at the Morne Coubaril estate for a walk through the grounds of the plantation. Passing emerald green plantations, sandy beaches and swaying coconut palms en route to the ship.

Our second excursion this morning, which departed 45 minutes later at 8:45am, was ‘Calypso Island Delight’. This Fantastic 7 ¾ hour tour gave our passengers the best way to see St. Lucia by land and by sea. With a drive through Castries, Derek Walcott Square and passed the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception this was a great way to start the day.

Travelling on to the sleepy village of Soufriere to view the sulphur springs and then onto the Botanical gardens. After a Caribbean buffet our passengers embarked onto a catamaran to the spectacular bay at Anse Cochon. After a swim in the blue waters and a rum punch (or two) the tour then headed back to the ship.

Our third excursions today was an a.m & p.m departure, St. Lucia Aerial Tram. This excursion let the passengers experience the magical rainforest, gliding amidst the canopy of the trees and enjoy the spectacular views. The coach took our passengers from the ship on a ½ hour drive to Chassin at the base of La Sorciere.

From here they embarked on an open air gondola, towering over gum and chatannier trees and the remarkable ‘strangler’ ficus. The guide gave a fascinating insight into the flora and fauna of the region and identified the tropical bird calls. After the tram ride the excursion began a short ‘fern trail’ through part of the forest, to take a close look at what they just enjoyed from above. The passengers returned to the ship after a short journey back.
 
At 4:15pm this afternoon a special afternoon tea presentation was organised. During the serving of afternoon tea we were joined by members of the Dunnator School for Children with Learning Disabilities who entered us with a selection calypso songs on their steel drums.
 
The plan this evening was to have  ‘The Harmmonites’ steel band join us onboard to play for our passengers on the open deck, whilst the passengers danced the night away along with our Cruise Staff and Dancers.

Unfortunately the weather was unpredictable with some heavy rain showers so Tanya our Cruise Director moved the event to the Discovery Lounge and although not as romantic as dancing under the stars, an enjoyable evening was had by all.  The perfect end to another memorable day as we set sail at around 22:30pm for Bridgetown, Barbados.

Sadly a large number of passengers are leaving us tomorrow. Oh well, all good things must come to an end or so they say.
 
I hope the weather back home is a little milder?

After a very pleasant overnight sail from Antigua we arrived at our second port of call in the Caribbean - Portsmouth, Dominica.

As we approached Prince Ruperts Bay and turned towards our berth, tucked into the side of the hill below the 18th century Fort Shirley, the sun appeared above the distant mountains making it a spectacular vistas for the passengers watching the docking. The wooden pier was the size of a “postage stamp”, sitting a good way off the palm tree lined shore. Once alongside at 8am it was a slow process to tow the mooring lines ashore by use of the pilot boat before we were fully secured some 45 minutes later.

Portsmouth is the second largest town in Dominica and Prince Rubert Bay is a popular haven for yachts. We berthed at the 260 acre Cabrits National Park, just north of the town which is a protected site. It was our inaugural call to Portsmouth and as is the practice, a large group of officials plus TV & press attended to exchange plaques.

We had three shore excursions today. The first departing at 9.15am was the Emerald Pool and Carib Territory. This was a 6 ½ hour tour which takes you right into the heart of the rainforest. After a beautiful scenic drive, the first stop was to the Carib Model Village. The first highlight of the day was to be introduced to the Carib dancers of the Karifuna Cultural Group and to watch them perform a traditional show.

This was followed by a Local Caribbean buffet lunch before continuing inland towards the colourful Emerald Pool. After a short trek through the rainforest our passengers arrived at the 50-feet waterfall cascading into the enchanting pool. Here they had the chance to cool off, take a swim and soak up this simply breathtaking feature.

The next excursions to depart today were the Calibishie Scenic Drive. This short tour was a fantastic way to see some of the island and its history. The tour begins with a lovely scenic drive of Dominica’s northern coast. Continuing on to Red Rock Haven at Pointe Baptiste Beach where our passengers had about an hour to relax and enjoy some free time, have a swim in the beautiful clear waters or to wander and purchase some local handicraft.

Our third excursion was an Indian River Tour. It’s a short but very adventurous tour which takes you deep into Morne Diablotin, really giving you an experience never to forget. The riverbed is line with Amazonian-type trees and mangroves containing exotic birds and various species of wildlife. The tour continues with a walk through the rainforest and a Complimentary drink, the local rum punch, before making you way back down the river.

Those going off independently could take the shuttle bus to town itself and many did this. Others made the short walk to the beach and enjoyed a refreshing dip in the warm Caribbean water.

Quite a few attended the different denominational churches in the town as it’s the Lords Day. Enthusiastic praise and worship could heard echoing across the Bay form as early as 9.30am until well after the “sun was over the yard”!

Back at the ship a crew BBQ had been arranged. The local official kindly allowed it to be set up ashore, close enough to the ship for all off duty members of the ship’s company to attend.  It was great fun and the passengers enjoyed watching the boys and girls diving and swimming off the pier.

After another fantastic day in port we set sail around 5pm to head to our next port of call, Castries, St. Lucia. This evening at 6.30pm we had a ‘Full Ship Cocktail Party’ to bid farewell to all our passengers who were disembarking in Barbados.

This evening’s show time, we had the pleasure to introduce ‘An audience with Roy Walker’. This was followed by a Classical Concert with ‘The Lundonia Quartet’, presenting ‘Best of British’.

The end of a memorable visit to the lovely island of Dominica.

I guess you been waiting for news about our “Voyage to the New World” – well...

The six sun-filled days crossing the Atlantic Ocean passed so blissfully  that we could have easily enjoyed another three or even four more days at sea.

After leaving Funchal on Saturday 8th January the North East Trade wind was constantly pushing us ever Westwards toward our destination – Antigua. Endless days of sunshine, interspersed with the occasional tropical shower and not another ship in sight for the duration of the crossing made it almost the perfect passage to the Caribbean.

Magnificent sunsets and sunrises, the odd rainbow in the showers, and a canopy of twinkling star at night made our passage even more memorable than the brochure described.

We had a little excitement one lunch time when passed by a catamaran travelling at 27kt, which crossed our bow as it flashed over the horizon in an attempt to break the record for a passage from Las Palmas to Guadeloupe! We hardly had time to exchange greetings over the radio before they were out of range!

Everyone had a lovely relaxing crossing and our arrival at the berth this morning at St John’s, Antigua was a fantastic way to start our time here in the Caribbean.

Memories of my former life came flooding back as I brought the Saga Pearl II to her berth at Heritage Quay at 8.00am. This was such a familiar port and a weekly occurrence, so I knew the surroundings well and a lot of the locals too.

After all the clearance formalities had been completed we were ready at 08:30am for the first of four shore excursions leaving from the ship. Those wishing to explore the island independently were off like a shot, hardly stopping to appreciated the steel band playing nearby!

The first excursion, Island Tour, was in some ways, similar to our second tour today, the highlights tour. This tour stopped at the Blockhouse ruins, Shirley Heights, Dow’s hill historical centre and at Nelson’s dockyard.  Before heading back to the ship there was also a refreshment stop.

The second excursion, Highlights of Antigua, is a great way to see the island and to soak up some of the history. This 6 hour tour began with a drive through the countryside through the quaint villages up to Shirley Heights, a military complex. With a stop at Nelson’s Dockyard, a drive through Fig Tree Drive, a barbecue at a West Indian-styled beach restaurant and the chance to swim in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, this really was simply, a wonderful way to see the island.

Our third a final excursion to depart today was a 3 ¼ hour Stingray Encounter which I joined.

This memorable tour offers the chance to experience the delights of Stingray City, located in the clear waters in the lee of the barrier reef on Antigua’s coast. The excursion starts with a short boat ride through the scenic mangrove islands on the coast. This is an amazing opportunity to learn about the stingrays in their natural environment and to have the chance to hold them and even feed them! The stingrays are much larger than first envisaged and quite scary on first encounter as they surround and bump into you quite forcibly. But soon settle down and it’s a wonderful experience to feel and hear them breath.

Our passengers also had the chance to snorkel among the colourful marine life of the beautiful coral reef. The rum punch wasn’t too shabby either?

After a fantastically beautiful and sunny day in Antigua we left the berth at 6pm for our next port of call, Portsmouth, Dominica.

This evening’s entertainment started at 6.30pm with a Cocktail Party for all our passengers who are travelling with us all the way through the Grand Voyage. After another fabulous dinner, we had an evening of entertainment with a ‘Dance Night’ with our Cruise Department and the Saga Pearl II Orchestra. Late night Cabaret and Cocktails followed in our Shackleton’s Bar with ‘The New Finale Duo’

Hope this brings a ray of sunshine your way – take care!

We made it, a little later than expected but at least we made it! In one of my earlier blogs I said there was always a sense of achievement to reach Madeira in a timely manner especially in the winter time and this was no exception. Our journey was a little bumpy and fairly uncomfortable for sum but I must say that our little gem handled the conditions magnificently and under the circumstances 3 hours late was a good result.

Our arrivaln this morning started with beautiful sunshine and the outside decks were littered with lilly white bodies soaking up the first rays of warm sunshine this year. With binoculars at the ready the first glimpse of the eastern tip of Madeira was eagerly scanned as if there was special prize for the first one to shout “land ahoy”!

With our extensive programme throughout the morning our passengers had a choice of lectures, classes and activities to attend, or simply sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery and weather. Most did the latter.

We arrived at the berth at around 11am this morning. After 3 days at sea, the stunning island of Madeira was a welcoming occasion.

Once we arrived we provided a shuttle bus service to and from the city centre for our passengers who were going ashore independently, to explore this wonderful island.

Our first excursion to depart today was ‘Leisurely Madeira. This tour takes you from Funchal, through the popular suburb of Sao Martinho, to Pico dos Barelos. From here you can gaze over Funchal and the south coast. With other stops at Eira do Serrado, for refreshments and Terreiro da Luta to view the largest statue in Madeira this is a fantastic way to see just how stunning this Island really is.

Our second excursion today was a Levada Walk. This tour started by our passengers boarding a coach to take them up to the top of the island, ready for a 3 mile walk.  Walking through the muddy terrain and over small natural bridges carved out by the small but elegant waterfalls was a lovely experience. There were plenty of opportunities to take some fantastic photos on this tour. After a 20 minute refreshment stop, the tour continued on for another 45 minutes before our passengers boarded the coach for a scenic drive back to the Saga pearl II.

We left the berth at around 6pm this afternoon to head out into the Atlantic for our six day crossing to the Caribbean.

Tonight’s entertainment this evening started at 21:00 with “Journey through the classics” with four very talented musicians, who collectively make up ‘The Lundonia Quartet’.  This Performance was followed by ‘Late night cabaret and cocktails’ with ‘The New Finale Duo’ in our Shackleton’s Bar.

Next blog from Antigua but until then, take care.

It was a frosty but dry and snowless arrival at Southampton today. The Christmas cruise was over and it was time say farewell to our passengers and then as usual  prepare the ship for the next cruise to the Caribbean and Amazon.

As you can imagine, not only are the joining passengers looking forward to “The Grand Voyage” but so too are the crew. It’s been a long time since some of us have been to the Caribbean and I’m one who is particularly looking forward to returning to my old stomping ground. However, that’s a little way off and first we must cross the infamous Bay of Biscay in Winter!

By the look of the Met Office weather chart we are not going to have a smooth passage as we did on the inward sailing. Oh well, such is life on the high seas – “win some and lose some”.

By 5.00pm all passengers were onboard, the ship fully stored and bunkered with fuel oil and tanks filled with fresh water. The ropes slipped and off we headed down the Solent on yet another new adventure. We can feel the warmth of the Caribbean already!

The next stop is Funchal – Madeira on Saturday. So until then, mind how you go.