ISLANDS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC

Thursday 11 - saturday 20 june 2009

Price: from £2845pp Deposit £300
One luxury suite and a triple non-suite cabin are also available. Please ask for prices. Single cabins may be available at a supplement, please ask for prices. Cabins are for twin occupation, though several ensuite and non-ensuite cabins will be reserved so we can match singles with appropriate cabin-mates! Our vessel is the 50-berth Professor Molchanov’s
Guide: Dave Pullan plus resident expert guides from Oceanwide Expeditions. An additional Heatherlea guide will join this trip with more than 12 clients.

A mouth-watering trip for island-lovers, this voyage aims to visit some of the most inaccessible and remote northern Atlantic islands, finishing in Spitsbergen on the edge of the pack-ice. Expect seabirds and marine life in abundance!

 This is your chance to join Heatherlea for the ultimate Island experience. We have designed this cruise to give you a tremendous seafaring wildlife experience, sailing north from the Scottish port of Oban to Spitsbergen in the high Arctic. We enjoy the wildlife and culture of the islands, and the cetaceans and seabirds of the open north Atlantic Ocean on this exciting adventure.

En-route we shall visit St Kilda, home to millions of seabirds and perhaps the ultimate outpost of Great Britain. We pass by the western edge of the Faroes, where there are again huge numbers of seabirds, and where the seas hold fascinating marine life including whales, dolphins and porpoises. We also hope to have some time ashore in the capital, Thorshavn.

We visit the remote Norwegian volcanic island of Jan Mayen, home to thousands of Arctic seabirds including substantial breeding colonies of Little Auk and Brünnich's Guillemot.

There is a high probability of spotting Humpback, Blue, Fin and Minke Whales before we reach the edge of the polar pack ice and Spitsbergen, only 600 miles from the North Pole. Our final destination is a major element of the holiday, home to Polar Bear, Walrus, Arctic Fox and Svalbard Reindeer, and to over 170 species of flowering plants. We hope for excellent views of bears, perhaps even with cubs at this time.

Finally we offer an extra option to stay overnight on land to appreciate the wildlife and culture of Svalbard for another day before our afternoon flight home.

Please note that this itinerary is for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice and weather conditions and opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is essential for a cruise of this nature.
Our vessel will be the Professor Multanovskiy, a small ice-strengthened vessel ideal for this type of voyage. Our friendly and experienced Russian crew will be anxious to share their
knowledge and enthusiasm, and we will navigate safely through pack-ice and narrow
waterways. As the total number of participants is limited to 46 , expect a friendly intimate atmosphere in a cosy and comfortable onboard environment. (For technical data about our vessel, please see page ).

This is an open-jaw voyage, beginning in one place (Oban) and ending in another (Spitsbergen). Holiday price includes a flight from Longyearbyen to London Heathrow, though you have many options to make this more convenient, and Heatherlea will help you organize the best route for your needs. We recommend you travel to Oban the night before the holiday unless you plan to return to Oban to collect your car.

Day 1 Thursday 11 June
We join our vessel at Oban, a small and cosy harbour town in west Scotland. Breeding Black Guillemot are likely to be seen in the harbour. We sail in the afternoon, passing through the Sound of Mull, and on towards the open sea. Many Guillemots and Razorbills will be joined by the occasional Puffin as we sail, and rafts of Manx Shearwaters, wandering Gannets, Kittiwake and Shag are likely too. Great Skuas patrol in search of Common and Arctic Tern, and marine life may well include Minke Whale, Basking Shark, Bottle-nosed Dolphin, Harbour Porpoise and even Common Dolphin. Watch out for tiny, darting Storm Petrel, nocturnal breeders though frequently seen singly during the day.

Day 2 Friday 12 June
We arrive at St Kilda, rightly famous for its huge seabird colonies. We hope to land and be able to spend time here to fully appreciate the nature of the islands and their sense of isolation. The spectacle and clamour of one million birds at the height of their breeding season in north-west Europe’s largest seabird colony is an unforgettable experience. Highlights include Puffin (more than 250,000 – the largest colony in Britain), Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel and Leach’s Petrel (over 90,000 birds, and 90% of the European breeding population). The rocky cliffs contain extensive ledges for breeding Fulmar (more than 100,000 – the largest colony in Western Europe), Guillemots and Razorbill. The St Kilda Gannet colony is the largest in the world, estimated at over 120,000 birds.

Perhaps the most notable land bird is St Kilda’s own distinctive subspecies of Wren, 2-3g heavier than mainland birds. The other endemic subspecies to find is the St Kilda Field Mouse as it scurries about the deserted houses in search of food. A third notable local creature is the Soay Sheep – Europe’s most primitive domestic breed.

Day 3 Saturday 13 June
Today we arrive at the Faroe Islands, and land at Thorshavn, the capital and cultural centre. In the harbour, Faroese boats are a reminder of the Viking origins of the islanders. Here we hope to have time to explore and perhaps walk or shop, or just soak up the atmosphere of this hardy, windswept place. Continuing along the north side of Streymoy we pass huge seabird colonies. Auks, Gannet, gulls and shag are found here, and Iceland and Glaucous Gull may well be seen amongst the thousands of commoner seabird species.

Day 4 & 5 Sunday 14 & Monday 15 June
We sail north to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen, situated 300 nautical miles north-east of Iceland. During our two days at sea there will be plenty of time to watch for the blow of a Minke, Fin or Blue Whale, which could herald a rewarding encounter. We may be lucky enough to run into a pod of Killer Whales, or Orcas, which can often be curious about boats such as ours.

Day 6 Tuesday 16 June
Jan Mayen is a volcanic island of breathtaking beauty and mystique, dominated by Mt Beerenberg. From the slopes of the 2300m volcano, impressive glaciers spill into the sea. Until recently, the island was off-limits as it is a military base, and was rarely visited by tourists, but with permission from the Norwegian authorities we hope to visit the weather station. We will also walk across the island to Kvalrossbukta to look at the remains of a 17th century Dutch whaling station and a substantial colony of Fulmars. We also plan to sail by Koksletta where thousands of Little Auks and Brünnich's Guillemots breed close to a glacier, watched over by piratical Glaucous Gulls.

Days 7 & 8 Wednesday 17 & Thursday 18 June
We spend two days at sea, looking out for whales, dolphins and seals and a variety of seabirds.

Day 9 Friday 19 June
Depending on the position of the sea-ice, we cruise the maze of fjords in the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, which is ringed by towering mountain peaks. Hornsundtind rises to 1,431m while Bautaen shows why early Dutch explorers gave the name 'Spitsbergen' - pointed mountains - to the island. There are also 14 magnificent glaciers in the area but as well as spectacular scenery, the area is renowned for its abundant and varied arctic wildlife. We have very good chances of seeing seals and of course the very symbol of the Arctic - Polar Bears. We may visit the Polish research station where the friendly staff will give us an insight into their research projects. Behind the station, the mountains are home to thousands of pairs of nesting Little Auks. Bearded Seals often cruise the inner fjords, whose cliffs are lined with colonies of Brünnich's Guillemots and Kittiwakes. On the tundra we will have good opportunities to observe foraging Barnacle Geese.

Day 10 Saturday 20 June
We disembark at Longyearbyen, the administrative centre of Spitsbergen, for flights south to Norway and onward to home. Alternatively you may wish to stay an extra night with your Heatherlea guide and explore the wildlife of the islands or even extend your holiday by continuing on a voyage to North Spitsbergen.

Field Notes
Please note that some of the islands we visit are hard to reach, and weather may prevent us going – the discretion of our Captain is the key factor at all times. Group size will be anything up to 50 participants, with two Heatherlea guides and three Expedition Guides at the maximum level.

There may be options to take easy/moderate walks ashore (a mile or two in most cases though longer walks are possible). Walking is very enjoyable everywhere on these islands, where proper paths may be unavailable, but the sense of space and freedom is unbeatable.

We will go ashore in zodiac boats (these are rugged rubber inflatable boats), crewed by the Professor Multanovskiy’s experienced team, who will assist you on and off boats. It is important you are able to get up and down the gangway from the ship to the sea level in order to board the zodiac. If you need any further information, or would like to discuss the above, please contact the Heatherlea office on 01479 821248 and ask for Kevin or Emma.

Price includes; nine nights cruising on Professor Multanovskiy , all meals on-board from Dinner on Day 1 to Breakfast on Day 10. Food is very good and there is a well-stocked bar. Shore excursions by zodiac, and activities throughout including lectures, leadership and other services from crew, ranger services on islands where these are available, island landing fees, taxes and other fees, bird and mammal checklist and, of course, the services of your Heatherlea guide/s. This is an open-jaw voyage, beginning in one place (Oban) and ending in another (Spitsbergen). Holiday price includes a flight from Longyearbyen to London Heathrow, though you have many options to make this more convenient, and Heatherlea will help you organize the best route for your needs.

Please note: The SAS Longyearbyen/Oslo schedule permits a direct connection through Oslo and back to Heathrow on the final day. If this schedule changes, we may need an overnight stay in Oslo on the return and fly to Heathrow the following morning. This would incur an additional cost of £60 (approx) per person in a twin/double room.

Price excludes; insurance, gratuities, drinks and other personal expenses. Travel to Oban.
Terms and Conditons:Our international Terms and Conditions apply to this holiday.

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Please note: all itineraries are given as a guide only. Actual holiday content may vary according to the judgement of your guide, and elements beyond our control (eg weather).