St. Helena to Cape Verde

Our voyage starts in Jamestown, a uniquely situated city that offers much to see before we set sail. Enjoy the local British culture, tropical climate, and endemic birds of this remote volcanic island. You can visit Longwood House, where Napoleon died in 1821, and even walk the 699-step Jacob’s Ladder if you feel ambitious. If you have more time, you can also go on small hikes or snorkeling in the shallows, seeing multitudes of tropical and subtropical fish.

Today we aim to sail along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the sprawling submarine mountain range that runs about 16,000 km (10,000 miles) from the Arctic Ocean toward the southern tip of Africa. Join us for stargazing on the aft deck, where we will show you the many highlights of the equatorial sky. Weather permitting, these celestial wonders can be seen with binoculars or even with the naked eye.

This dry volcanic island is a major home for sooty terns (also known as wideawakes), whose colony here sometimes grows to over a million breeding pairs. You may get the chance to hike up to the richly vegetated summit of the island, and we might also visit the beach to watch green turtles laying eggs.

Joining us across the equator are Arctic terns and long-tailed skuas flying their northbound spring migration. At this stage of the voyage, we will hope for good weather as we attempt more stargazing on deck, observing how the polar star becomes visible on the northern horizon.

We will disembark in the town of Praia, on Cape Verde’s Santiago Island, at 9:00 hours*. If you are flying out on the night of April 25/April 26, we offer an additional tour in and around Praia. Here you can visit the historic Cidade Velha and its massive hillside fortress, built to defend against English raiders. Other sights include the oldest Christian church in the tropics as well as the slave whipping post in the main square. You can also simply explore the streets of Praia, enjoying the folk music spilling out of tavern windows.

*Disembarking passengers will have access to hotel rooms where you can collect your luggage and freshen up before traveling to the airport or back to your hotel, if you are staying longer in Praia.