This morning, National Geographic Explorer arrived at anchor off the shore of Unst, the third largest of the Shetland Islands and the northernmost inhabited point in the UK. Clouds dispelled to reveal some blue skies as the guests arrived at the dock by Zodiac. Half the group chose to hike to Hermaness Hill at the northernmost tip of the island. Guests encountered spectacular, sweeping views of the landscape, as well as the extensive gannet colony on the cliffs of the Neap. Local sheep also shared in guests’ views of the rugged landscape. The other half of the group embarked on a morning coach tour of some of Unst’s most scenic locations. This offered insight into both the geology and history of the island. The heritage centre and the Boat Haven represent the distinctive lifestyles enjoyed by residents of the island for centuries. A highlight of the tour was a reconstructed Viking longhouse and longboat, which offered a fascinating look back at the Norse heritage of the island. After lunch on board, National Geographic Explorer sailed to Lerwick while guests enjoyed a presentation from the expedition diver. The early evening offered a walking tour and free time in Lerwick, during which guests explored the sights to learn about the history of the city and its Iron Age roots.
6/30/2024
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National Geographic Explorer
Aberdeen, North Sea, and Bass Rock
Calm seas and gray skies accompanied us into Aberdeen Harbor. Along the way, the bridge over the River Don could be clearly seen and on either side, the lovely sandy beaches so characteristic of the coastline here. Today there were three options for us which included a visit to the beautiful Pitmedden Gardens with their lovely expansive flower beds laden with lots of vivid colors, a chance to visit the Aberdeenshire Highland Beef Farm where we were treated to the sights of sheep, Highland cattle (including the Duchess), and draught horses, and a visit to the Gordon Highlanders Museum. This regiment was founded a long time ago and they have been awarded more Victoria Crosses than any other regiment in the United Kingdom. We also saw a reconstructed First World War trench where it was quickly evident what hell trench warfare was and continues to be. During lunch, we set sail for our last port of call, Edinburgh. The seas were very kind to us and along the way we passed some large offshore windfarms. The icing on the cake on this last day was the circumnavigation of Bass Rock, home to a huge Northern gannet colony.