Our 2019 class of Grosvenor Teacher Fellows recently returned from expeditions around the globe aboard Lindblad-National Geographic ships. Four of this year’s 45 fellows took time to share some of their favorite, funny, and unexpected moments in the wild.
Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Brazil This UNESCO World Heritage site is the definition of remote wilderness. Located 220 miles off the northeast coast of Brazil, this series of 22 islands
Born of influential Edo-period Japan, landscape gardens are tranquil works of art, meant to inspire contemplation. Discover some of the premier strolling gardens you’ll encounter on your journey.
As COVID-19 stilled human sound and motion, the whole world heard it: a silence in which something was calling out to be heard. The wildness at the heart of the world. Now, it’s time to listen. To find out what the world has to say. To give the places where wildness is still sovereign, or still in harmony, or, still unbroken, a genuine listen.
An ancient sanctuary of tower temples and a striking seascape of limestone pillars—these are just a few of the wonders hidden along Vietnam's storied coastline.
Explorer, anthropologist, filmmaker, author, and public speaker Dr. Lawrence Blair will join guests on Lindblad's new expedition to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
The largest Buddhist monument in the world, Borobudur Temple rises towards the heavens from a Javanese hilltop. This complex feat of architecture is an absolute must-see for any traveler to Indonesia.
This morning, we sailed north out of British Columbia, Canada and entered Alaskan waters. We explored Misty Fjords National Monument, a wilderness area which is part of Tongass National Forest. We were surrounded by steep rock cliffs, snow-capped mountains, U-shaped valleys, and numerous waterfalls. It was simply breathtaking!
Today was the first day we arrived on the Pacific Coastal Islands of Haida Gwaii. We had a beautiful morning sailing into Skidegate. After an early breakfast, we disembarked to take buses north to the community of Masset. Christian White, an incredibly talented carver, showed us his totem pole carvings, it was the celebration of 20 years since one was erected. We got to tour his workshop where he has a canoe in progress. The second group visited the home of James Hart, an accomplished artist who shared some of his work, such as a raven rattle and his bronze shaman statue. The kindness of these men, to invite us into their homes and share their stories, was incredible. We returned to Christian White’s where a feast was prepared with venison stew, Caesar salad with herring eggs, black seaweed flakes, salmon, pickled beach asparagus, spruce tip and fireweed juice, and many more delicious local delicacies. Dances and songs were demonstrated and to finish it all up, there was a dance for the women, followed by a dance for the men. These visits are always special, and we felt honored to be able to visit and learn from the Haida.
Last night, after much deliberation by the captain and expedition leader, our ship returned to the Port of Los Angeles to avoid high seas and winds. We made the most of our day in the city by taking advantage of well-crafted excursion. In the morning, many guests enjoyed the Aquarium of the Pacific, while others toured the USS Iowa, and others went for hikes and tidepool adventures near the bluffs of Palos Verde. The highlight of the tidepool adventure was finding an octopus under a rock! We all returned to National Geographic Quest for a very informative presentation by National Geographic Expert in Geology, Kirt Kempter. After lunch, we had another round of options, with a majority of guests visiting the beautiful Huntington Gardens, others learning about the last 45,000 years of fossils found in the La Brea Tar Pits, and plenty of others choosing to hike a challenging trail in Palos Verde. Spirits were high when we set sail towards the Northern Channel Islands after dinner, and all were looking forward to a presentation from Tim Hatler.
Today, we explored two islands. In the morning, we hiked along the trail of South Plaza. In the afternoon, we visited Santa Fe Island. At South Plaza, we observed several Galapagos land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls with their young, and Galapagos sea lions. We admired the beauty around us. We returned aboard and swam from the ship. Later, we navigated toward Santa Fe Island. We had our first opportunity to snorkel from the Zodiacs in a protected bay. We encountered different species of fish and spotted some green sea turtles in the bay. Late in the afternoon, we returned to Santa Fe for a hike along the volcanic terrain to look for Santa Fe land iguanas or to relax with a short walk on a sandy beach that is home to a large colony of Galapagos sea lions.
After six hours of navigation through the night, we anchored in Darwin’s Bay, named after the well known naturalist, even though he never made it to this island. Early in the morning, part of our group headed to Prince Phillip´s Steps. Up on the cliffs, we witnessed a whole community of marine birds, and unphased by our presence, we were able to observe their natural behaviors. After a pleasant kayaking excursion and a delicious lunch, we enjoyed more of the boobies, frigatebirds, and gulls, but in a different environment. We finished our day with refreshing snorkeling to test our equipment and returned to National Geographic Delfina where we were gifted by a beautiful sunset.