aboard Sea Cloud
Transcription
aboard Sea Cloud
TheSeaLesser Antilles Cloud aboard February 16-24, 2014 VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS David Ascanio, a Venezuelan birder and naturalist, has spent 28 years guiding birding tours throughout his native country, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, the Amazon River, Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Lesser Antilles, Cuba, Costa Rica, Chile, and Panama. David combines superb birding skills with an astonishing command of bird vocalizations. He has published a book for children about the songs of the birds of Venezuela. He is an excellent communicator, has a great sense of humor, and is tireless in helping others find birds and wildlife. These traits have made him one of the most popular naturalists/guides in the Neotropics. Victor Emanuel started birding in Texas 65 years ago at the age of eight. His travels have taken him to all the continents, with his areas of concentration being Texas, Arizona, Mexico, Panama, and Peru. He derives great pleasure from seeing and hearing birds, and sharing with others these avian sights and sounds, both the common and the more unusual. He initiated the first birding camps for young people, and considers that one of his greatest achievements. Victor holds a B.A. in zoology and botany from the University of Texas and an M.A. in government from Harvard. In 2004, he received the Roger Tory Peterson Award from the American Birding Association, and the Arthur A. Allen Award from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. John Harrison is a travel writer and lecturer, and a native of Liverpool, England. He took First Class Honors in geography at Cambridge University and a Masters Degree in planning at Liverpool University. John’s short stories have been broadcast on the BBC and collected in book form. His first travel book, Where the Earth Ends, about South America and Antarctica, was a Sunday Times Book of the Week. John has traveled to 60 countries on six continents, and has extensive cruise experience. He has made radio programs for the BBC about Antarctica and Easter Island. His particular interests are the links between real voyages and famous fiction, the remote cultures of southern South America, and the impact of exploration and conquest. In 2002 John walked 700 miles through the Andes for his next book, Cloud Road, about the high sierra. He was the first outsider some of those people had ever met. Peter Zika is a field biologist from Seattle, investigating and describing new species of plants from western North America. Working at the herbarium of the University of Washington, he is writing several chapters for new books on the plants of California and the flora of North America, as well as conducting biological inventories of National Parks and Nature Conservancy preserves, studying interactions between noxious weeds and native wildlife, and researching the diet of fruiteating birds. His interests in ecology have led him across the Tropics and into polar regions for the last 20 years. In addition to teaching wetland plant identification, he serves as a ship’s naturalist on all oceans and continents. Peter has published more than 90 scientific notes, articles, and books, as well as occasional photographs, cards, and reviews in the popular press. The Pitons, St. Lucia © Shutterstock Barry Lyon’s passion for the outdoors and birding has its roots in his childhood growing up in southern California. He attended several VENT/ABA youth birding camps in his teenage years, which ultimately led to his future involvement with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours. He holds a B.A. from the University of Arizona at Tucson, where he studied history and political science, with an emphasis on environment and development politics. Barry joined the VENT team as a tour leader in 1995, and embarked on a travel-based career that has taken him to an array of worldwide destinations. He has lived in Austin, Texas, since 2004 when he joined our office staff as an assistant to company president Victor Emanuel. Barry’s years of experience and his knowledge of natural history have provided him with a strong interest in conservation. He currently sits on the board of directors of Travis Audubon Society, which emphasizes conservation through birding and youth outdoor education for urban children. SS EE A A C C LL O O U U D D Dear friends: A voyage on the Sea Cloud is like no other trip in the world. There is no vessel as beautiful or with as storied a history. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours has chartered this amazing ship for a cruise in the Lesser Antilles – beautiful, scenic islands that contain a host of wonderful birds and forests. This will be our fifth visit to the Lesser Antilles aboard the Sea Cloud. On previous voyages we have seen all the endemic birds of these islands, including the four spectacularly beautiful parrots: the bizarre, yellow St. Vincent Parrot; the striking St. Lucia Parrot; the colorful Red-necked Parrot; and the huge purple Imperial Parrot, one of the rarest parrots in the world. Theodore Roosevelt stopped in the Lesser Antilles to seek out these parrots. The parrots alone are almost worth the trip. Traveling aboard the lovely Sea Cloud is the best way to visit these islands. Your cabin will be your home for a week of cruising. Each morning we will disembark on a different island to seek out the special birds and enjoy the plant life, butterflies, and other aspects of the natural world. We will return to the ship for a buffet lunch served on the Lido deck where dining is al fresco while enjoying the delightful climate. In the afternoon, the ship will travel to a different island. Afternoon lectures on birds, botany, and history will enhance your experience. One evening there will be a champagne reception and a tour of the historic rooms, followed by a lecture on the ship's remarkable history. With her sails up, the Sea Cloud is a breathtaking sight, never to be forgotten. A few cabins are still available on this extraordinary cruise. We do not plan to offer this trip again for several years. My co-leaders will include David Ascanio, Barry Lyon, John Harrison, and Peter Zika. I hope you will join us for what will truly be the trip of your lifetime. Best wishes, Victor Emanuel Lesser Antilles Itinerary Sunday, February 16, 2014 Home / Antigua Arrive in Antigua, board Sea Cloud in the afternoon and depart. Monday, February 17 Guadeloupe Tuesday, February 18 Dominica All day on the most spectacular and biologically rich island of the Lesser Antilles. Disembark after breakfast and travel a short distance to the Syndicate Estate. Walk easy trails through lovely forest looking for a host of wonderful birds including Red-necked and Imperial parrots, as well as the gorgeous Blue-headed Hummingbird. Spend time on a lookout at the wild Picard River Gorge looking for parrots and other birds. We may also spot Lesser Antillean Flycatcher, Red-legged Thrush, Forest Thrush, Rufous-throated Solitaire, Brown Trembler, Scalybreasted and Pearly-eyed thrashers, Plumbeous Warbler, Antillean Euphonia, and Black-faced Grassquit. Resident Broad-winged Hawks and Lesser Antillean Swifts are common and may be spotted overhead. Return to the ship for lunch with the option of spending the afternoon onboard or returning to the forest for more walks. Wednesday, February 19 Dominica Another half-day on Dominica with more opportunities to look for the parrots and other birds. Optional visit to historic Fort Shirley. Spend time in the Syndicate Estate visitor center. For those interested in botany there will be a guided walk to learn about the trees and other plants. Return to the ship for lunch and depart for Martinique. Enjoy an afternoon lecture on history, botany, or birds. If conditions are appropriate, the Captain may choose to unfurl some of the Sea Cloud’s magnificent sails. Thursday, February 20 Martinique Disembark in Fort-de-France and travel by coach to the scenic Caravelle Peninsula. This peninsula is among Martinique’s greatest natural attractions, featuring a spectacular coastline and a national park that preserves the last of the island’s unique dry forest. A ragged tongue of land that juts six miles out into the Atlantic Ocean on the windward side of the island, the peninsula is covered in dry forest growing on low ridges and surrounded by sparkling turquoise-colored bays. Our time here provides our best and only chance to experience the natural history of this drier environment in the vicinity of the ruins of historic Chateau Dubuc. The small national park here is home to two of the most endangered songbirds of the West Indies, the White-breasted Thrasher and the Martinique Oriole. The oriole is found nowhere else in the world and is a widely dispersed and reclusive species. The thrasher is shared only with St. Lucia. For those who do not wish to visit the Caravelle Peninsula, we’ll offer a walking tour of Fort de France. We will return to the ship for lunch, followed by departure from Martinique. We’ll spend another afternoon at sea, cruising toward the island of St. Lucia. Friday, February 21 St. Lucia With an especially rugged terrain, St. Lucia may well be the most beautiful of the Lesser Antilles. Steep canyons and mountain slopes rise dramatically right from the sea while lush plantations and forests thrive on the moist slopes. Towering perpendicular peaks dominate the island’s heavily forested, mountainous interior. This volcanic island is home to five endemic birds, more than any other island in the Lesser Antilles. The gorgeous St. Lucia Parrot garners the greatest interest, but can be difficult to locate, while the other endemic species – St. Lucia Pewee, St. Lucia Warbler, St. Lucia Oriole, and St. Lucia Black Finch – are more widespread and generally easier to find. Of St. Lucia’s many wonderful birds, the St. Lucia Parrot could be described as “first among equals.” Sporting Martinique Oriole © Doug Wechsler / VIREO ● Purple-throated Carib © Gerry Ellis / Minden Pictures ● Forest Thrush © Doug Wechsler / VIREO Disembark after breakfast on Guadeloupe. Visit the Guadeloupe National Park in search of the bizarre Guadeloupe Woodpecker, a species found nowhere else in the world and the only woodpecker in the Lesser Antilles. Walk trails through lovely rainforest while seeing a variety of West Indian birds including, hopefully, the elusive Bridled Quail-Dove and shy Forest Thrush. Time at the beautiful Gardens of Valombreuse will immerse us in a spectacular array of flowering trees and shrubs and give us the opportunity to see the tiny Antillean Crested Hummingbird, as well as Purple-throated and Green-throated caribs, two of the world’s most attractive hummingbirds. Return to the ship for lunch and depart for Dominica, the nature island of the Lesser Antilles. Enjoy an afternoon lecture on history, botany, or birds. St. Lucia Parrot © S. Lousada / VIREO ● St. Lucia Warbler © Doug Wechsler / VIREO ● Red-legged Thrush © Doug Wechsler / VIREO an indigo face, piercing orange eyes, and green breast and belly feathers overlaid with a dusting of scarlet, there is no other parrot that resembles this one. We will arrive at the Quilesse Forest by 6:00 a.m. where, on many days, the birds perch conspicuously at the forest edge to preen and warm up before dispersing to feeding areas. Besides parrots, this area has also proven productive for the lovely Purple-throated Carib, St. Lucia Warbler, Scaly-breasted and Pearly-eyed thrashers, and St. Lucia Black Finch. Later in the morning, we may walk a section of the Des Cartier Trail that penetrates the heart of the forest. Here, among giant broadleaf trees and other tropical hardwoods, we will have a chance to experience the essence of a tropical island rainforest. We have options for how we’ll spend the afternoon. For the birders, we’ll offer a trip into the hills above Soufrière to visit the Edmund Forest Reserve. The view here is dominated by Mt. Gimie, the highest peak on the island, while a blanket of lush rainforest sprawls over the valleys below. Groves of tree ferns are especially large and luxuriant on these upper ridges, and the frequent cloud cover supports a profusion of epiphytes and mosses on the trees. We will sample various sections of the road, and everyone will have a chance to enjoy the scenery and search for the comical Gray Trembler, Scaly-naped Pigeon, St. Lucia Pewee, Rufous-throated Solitaire, Scalybreasted Thrasher, Bare-eyed Robin, and Lesser Antillean Saltator. Those interested in non-birding activities may visit Diamond Falls and Botanical Gardens on the Soufrière Estate, as well as the collapsed crater of a nearby volcano where we’ll see bubbling sulfur springs filled with volcanic soil. In the late afternoon we will depart St. Lucia, sailing by the famous “Pitons” on our way out of the harbor at Soufrière. Among the most recognizable landforms in the Caribbean, the Pitons are giant volcanic plugs, conical mountains of solid igneous rock that rise like sentinels along the bay’s southern end. There are two pitons, Gros Piton and Petit Piton, both of which tower over 2,500 feet above the sea. There will be plenty of opportunities for photography. Saturday, February 22 Morning at Sea / Afternoon St. Vincent We’ll spend the morning hours at sea today en route to St. Vincent. Conditions permitting, the captain may set Sea Cloud’s majestic sails for a couple of hours of true sailing. This is a rich tradition for any trip aboard this unique vessel and always a real crowd pleaser. We may also have the opportunity to take in a lecture before disembarkation. We will have parts of two days to experience the island and visit some of its best birding areas. The Vermont Forest, a government-protected natural area, preserves an exquisite expanse of native rainforest while the national botanic garden offers birding on the edge of Kingstown. We will disembark the ship after lunch for an afternoon visit to the Vermont Forest, famous as the home of the highly endangered St. Vincent Parrot. This parrot is one of the most beautiful members of this exotic family and we have a good chance of viewing them. Our goal is to get our first looks at the St. Vincent Parrot, but we’ll also spend a couple of hours exploring the edge habitats that fringe the larger forest above. We will position ourselves at different places to watch for any parrots flying over, particularly later in the afternoon when the birds are more inclined to form flocks before heading to nighttime roosts. Other birds we may see include the Grenada Flycatcher, Lesser Antillean Tanager, Scaly-naped Pigeon, Mangrove Cuckoo, Brown Trembler, and Lesser Antillean Bullfinch. We’ll return to the ship in the late afternoon. Sunday, February 23 Morning St. Vincent / Afternoon at Sea Return to Vermont Forest and hike a 1¾ mile trail to the parrot lookout, enjoying the huge forest trees and other vegetation. Search for the elusive, strange Whistling Warbler, another bird found nowhere else in the world. Visit the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens. St. Vincent marks the northernmost point for a number of species that barely enter the Caribbean, and the bounty of flowering and fruiting trees that grow here make the botanical garden an essential stop for finding these birds. Common Black-Hawk, Eared Dove, Grenada Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, and Bare-eyed Thrush are all fairly easily found. Other key birds occurring here are Green-throated Carib, Caribbean Elaenia, Gray Kingbird, Tropical Mockingbird, and Bananaquit (all dark St. Vincent variety). Furthermore, the garden hosts an aviary designed especially for St. Vincent Parrots. All the parrots that live here are former caged birds recovered by the government and turned over to the botanic garden for study and propagation. While viewing parrots under these circumstances is vastly different than seeing free-flying birds, our visit does represent an excellent opportunity to see an endangered species up close and note the remarkable plumage coloration. We will be back on board the ship for lunch. The remainder of the day will be dedicated to relaxation as Sea Cloud makes its way to Barbados. We hope to enjoy some sailing time this afternoon and attend a final lecture presentation. Monday, February 24 Disembark in Barbados / Flights Home or to Trinidad A few spaces remain available on our Antigua, Montserrat, and Barbuda pre-trip, February 12-16, and our Trinidad post-trip, February 24 - March 1. The Ship: Considered a masterpiece of shipbuilding, the four-masted Sea Cloud is widely regarded as the world’s most beautiful sailing vessel, with towering masts, full rigging, and polished wooden decks. The ship offers 32 cabins that host a maximum of 64 passengers. All cabins are immaculately appointed, elegantly designed, and contain private facilities, telephones, and a small safe. Below decks, cabins 1-10 date from the ship’s original construction; each features individual design and decoration, ornate furniture, walk-in closets, expanded bathroom areas, and large windows. Public areas include a formal restaurant, expansive spanker (viewing) deck, lido deck (with canopy), and lido bar. Other amenities include a gift boutique and a passenger communications system comprised of direct-dial satellite telephone, GSM cellular phone service, fax, email, and internet access. Capacity: 58 guests in 30 cabins including two Owner’s Suites. Registry: Malta. Overall Length: 360 feet. Built in 1931 by Wall Street businessman E. F. Hutton for his wife, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Sea Cloud carries 30 sails measuring a total of 32,000 sq. ft. Public Areas: The covered Lido Bar is a superb place to congregate and enjoy the outdoors. The open-air “Blue Lagoon” is a wonderful place to relax. There is a sumptuous lounge, and guests are welcome on the “open bridge” to learn how Sea Cloud is navigated and sailed. Meals: Served in single seatings, meals focus on local and Continental cuisine. Wines are included at lunch and dinner. Refreshments are always available. Technical Information: Built: 1931 Length: 360 feet; Beam: 50 feet; Draft: 17 feet Gross Tonnage: 2,532 Engines: 2 SKL Diesel engines Total Sail Area: 32,000 sq. ft. Number of Sails: 30 Speed: 10 knots Crew: 60 Flag: Malta Captain’s & Lido Deck Promenade Deck Main Deck Cabins The Main Deck cabins have antique and period-style furniture. These cabins are the ship’s original cabins, including the Owner’s Suites originally occupied by E.F. Hutton and Marjorie Merriweather Post. Cabins on the Promenade and Captain’s Decks have modern, stylish, comfortable furniture. Original / Deluxe Category B: Original and deluxe cabins, #5, 6, 9, 10. Located on the Main Deck, these large cabins, originally occupied by guests (and the nannies, #9-10) of the owner, have a mix of bed types, decorative motifs, and bathrooms with bathtubs. All have portholes. $10,895. Category 5 - Solo: #14-17: Upper and lower single beds and a porthole. $9495. (sold out) Original / Deluxe Category B: Original/deluxe cabins, #3, 4, 7, 8. Located on the Main Deck, these very large cabins, originally occupied by guests of the owner, have a mix of bed types, decorative motifs, and bathrooms with bathtubs. All have portholes. $10,895. Category 3: #18-25: Cabins have two single beds, a window and showers. $8995. Category 2: #32-37: Cabins have two single beds, a window and showers. $9395. Category 1: #30-31: Cabins have a queen-size bed, a forward-facing window and showers. $9595. (sold out) Owners’ Suites / Deluxe Category A: Original owners’ suites #1-2: These incomparable suites were occupied by Marjorie Merriweather Post (#1) and E.F. Hutton (#2). They have king-size beds and grand marble bathrooms with bathtubs. $11,895. Category B • Cabin 3 Category B • Cabin 6 Category 2 • Cabin 37 Category B • Cabin 5 All Sea Cloud photos © Sea Cloud Cruises Antillean Crested Hummingbird © Claude Nadeau / VIREO VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Austin, Texas Permit #1501 2525 Wallingwood Drive, Suite 1003 Austin, Texas 78746 Victor Emanuel Nature Tours VENTBIRD 800. 328. VENT (8368) ■ 512.328.5221 St. Vincent Parrot ©Krystyna Szulecka / FLPA / Minden Pictures ■ [email protected] ■ CST2014998-50 www.ventbird.com