Turning Travel into Adventure

There are still places on Earth that make you feel like you’re the first human to see them. These remote, unspoilt wilderness areas beckon adventurers…

Buddha was once asked to express verbally what life meant to him. he waited a moment – then, without speaking, he held up a single rose. Several destinations on our planet cannot be adequately described by words. Like the rose, they have to be experienced. These places, many virtually untouched, appeal to the more adventurous traveller, the person whose motto might be: ‘see it before it is spoiled’.

Expedition cruises, by their very nature, offer the opportunity to visit these out-of-the-way destinations, many of which are inaccessible by ‘normal’ methods, and require the use of such nimble equipment as Zodiac landing craft. These cruises really are for small groups, and much care and attention is placed on minimising the impact on the environment. They appeal to passengers who tend to be very self-reliant and more interested in doing or learning than in being entertained. They become ‘participants’, and take an active role in almost every aspect of the voyage, which is destination-, explorationand nature-intensive.

You can walk on pack ice in the islands and land masses in the arctic Ocean and arctic Circle, explore a huge penguin rookery on an island in the antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands or south Georgia, or search for ‘lost’ peoples in Melanesia. Or you can cruise close to the source of the amazon, gaze at species of flora and fauna in darwin’s laboratory – the Galapagos Islands – or watch a genuine dragon on the island of Komodo – this last one perhaps best enjoyed from a considerable distance, of course.

Naturalists, historians and lecturers (rather than entertainers) are on board each ship to provide background information and observations about wildlife, while each participant receives a personal logbook, illustrated and written by the wildlife artists and writers who accompany each cruise – it makes a fine souvenir.

Despite being rugged, expedition cruise vessels can provide comfortable and elegant surroundings for up to 200 passengers, and offer good food and service. without traditional cruise ports at which to stop, a ship must be self-sufficient, capable of long-range cruising, and totally environmentally friendly

Lars-Eric Lindblad pioneered expedition cruising in the late 1960s. a swedish-american, he turned travel into adventure by going to parts of the world tourists had not visited. after chartering several vessels for voyages to antarctica, he organised the design and construction of a small ship capable of going almost anywhere in comfort and safety. In 1969, Lindblad Explorer was launched; it soon earned an enviable reputation in adventure travel. Others followed.

Noble Caledonia has a great reputation for providing well organised cruises and tours, accompanied by good lecturers. To put together cruise expeditions, companies turn to knowledgeable sources and advisors. Scientific institutions are consulted, while experienced world travellers and naturalists provide up-to-date reports on wildlife sightings, migrations and other natural phenomena.

Although some days are scheduled for relaxation, participants are largely kept physically and mentally active. This being the case, it is unwise to consider an adventure cruise if you are not completely ambulatory.

Adventure cruise companies provide expedition parkas and waterproof boots, but you will need to take your own waterproof trousers to Antarctica and the Arctic.

The principal adventure cruise areas of the world are Alaska and the Aleutians, the Amazon and the Orinoco, Antarctica, Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, the Chilean fjords, the Galapagos Archipelago, Indonesia, Melanesia, the Northwest Passage, Polynesia and the South Pacific. Baja California and the Sea of Cortez, Greenland, the Red Sea, East Africa, the Reunion Islands and the Seychelles, West Africa and the Ivory Coast, and the South China Seas and China Coast are other adventure cruise destinations growing in popularity.

In fact, anywhere remote enough to need Zodiacs and an expedition team could be deemed an adventure cruise destination, even the less accessible islands off the British isles, such as the Outer Hebrides. Take your pick…

EXPERTS AFLOAT Noble Caledonia’s expedition cruises are led by highly experienced expedition staff, as well as guest speakers. With their incredible knowledge and enthusiasm, these experts can help guests understand and fully appreciate the wildlife, landscape and natural and cultural history of the diverse and remote regions visited. Opportunities for learning will include onboard briefi ngs, informal presentations and talks while accompanying guests ashore and on Zodiac excursions.

Expedition staff may be ornithologists, naturalists and marine biologists. The extensive team of experts, which vary from cruise to cruise depending on availability, includes: Richard Price, who spent ten years as a marine biologist for the British Antarctic Survey; Peter Crawford who has made many fi lms for the world-renowned BBC Natural History Unit; and Ian Bullock, who has worked for the RSPB as a research biologist. Guest speakers may have backgrounds in areas such as music, art history, maritime history and archaeology. For instance, Major JGH Corrigan MBE is the guest speaker on White Sea Odyssey II. Commissioned from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1962, Gordon Corrigan was an offi cer of the Royal Gurkha Rifl es before retiring from the Army in 1998. He is now a military historian. Guest speaker on the Island Life 2011 cruise on MS Island Sky is Dr Alan Borg, who became director general of the Imperial War Museum in 1982, and in 1996 was made director of the Victoria and Albert.

Whether enjoying an informed lecture on culture and history, or standing on deck watching whales slice through icy waters, all the information and advice you could possibly need are at hand. One of the great joys of travel for many holidaymakers is the opportunity to learn…