We woke up on the dock in Lerwick, the same place we went to sleep. It was another beautiful morning, and we made choices about places to go for hiking and sightseeing. Today was our last full day of the voyage. It was a full day with the morning spent on the Shetland mainland and the early afternoon at Noss Head to observe nesting seabirds from the ship. Then we headed to Bergen, Norway.
5/20/2025
Read
National Geographic Explorer
Calanais, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
The morning wakeup call was a little ahead of schedule this morning, but for good reason. We threw on clothes and headed to the bow, blurry-eyed and cameras in hand to marvel at a pod of killer whales swimming off the port side of the ship. Later we jumped in Zodiacs and headed to the awe-inspiring Calanais standing stones. Erected around 2900–2600 BCE on the Isle of Lewis, they form a striking cross-shaped arrangement centered around a stone circle, likely used for ritual or astronomical purposes. Made of ancient Lewisian gneiss, they are among the most significant and mysterious Neolithic sites in Scotland. In the afternoon, we sailed north toward the Shetlands under shifting skies, keeping watch for seabirds and the occasional marine mammal. Our afternoon and evening at sea included two wonderful presentations, ship made scones and cream for teatime, an engaging recap, a special Filipino buffet, and a lively show by the crew band, The Spice Boys.
