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SAIL AS A CREWMEMBER REPOSITIONING CRUISES:
- Repositioning cruise from New York City, NY to Gloucester, MA (April 25-30, 2011)
- ARCTIC REPOSITIONING CRUISE Sail as a Crewmember as we Transit south from Ilulissat, Greenland to Halifax, Nova Scotia (August 20-September 5, 2011)
- Repositioning Cruise: Sail as a Crewmember from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Belfast, Maine (September 7-12, 2011)
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TRAMP STEAMER VOYAGE
from the ARCTIC CIRCLE to HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA NOW ACCEPTING GUEST CREW AND CARGO VESSEL WANDERBIRD SEEKS ADVENTUROUS GUEST CREWMEMBERS
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* SAFE SHIP * NO BUCKO MATE * SKILLED CAPTAINS *
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Belfast, MaineWanderbird is very pleased that the beautiful & historic small city of Belfast, Maine has welcomed them to make Belfast their home port. Belfast is located just off U.S. Route 1, across the Bridge from Searsport. This is where guests are greeted, spend their first night aboard, and then set sail on one of many Maine Cruises.
About Belfast
Belfast is located on Penobscot Bay and at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River. The Belfast Area is rich in history dating back more than 200 years. The community was an early fishing village, and was named for the City in Ireland in 1765. The harbour and waterfront were the hub of commercial activity. The Belfast area had many active shipyards. Searsport, just to the north of Belfast, was home to eleven yards and to more shipmasters than any other town in America. Between 1810 and 1890, more than 200 ships slid down the ways in Searsport and in 1887 alone, more than 1,200 vessels arrived in local ports. During this time of great prosperity, shipbuilders and merchants built beautiful Greek Revival, Colonial, and Victorian mansions throughout the area. Captains decorated spectacular mansions with treasures carried home from exotic ports. Many of these homes are now B&Bs or Inns. The Penobscot Marine Museum of Searsport, a village of eleven vintage buildings preserves the local maritime history and the Belfast Museum is located in the heart of Downtown Belfast.
Belfast carried the spirit of enterprise into the 20th and 21st centuries. During the 1940's the area embraced the shoe business and became major center for the poultry business. Belfast is currently known for its art galleries, shopping, and dining, its well-preserved architecture and its New England coastal town charm. Lobstermen here continue work the same waters as their ancestors.
The Expedition Vessel WANDERBIRD spends part of her season cruising to the far North, and passengers meet us at several ports-of-call along the way to participate in all or part of the journey. In previous years, we have sailed up the east coast of Canada to the land of the iceberg and the polar bear. We are excited to return, as we have made a wonderful connection with the land and people.
| Port aux Basques This region of the Southern Coast of Newfoundland abounds with deep and mighty fiords where the cliffs rise straight up hundreds of feet as we travel miles inland to our incredibly protected anchorages. As the scenery and waterfalls emerge from wisps of fog, they are breathtaking. In this area we also visit some of the few remaining outports that can only be reached by boat and meet some of the hardy folk who still fight to earn a living from the sea. We will plan to visit some of the offshore islands like Ramea. Very few vessels travel here, and the whales and seabirds are like nowhere else. This is a voyage of a lifetime! St. Anthony As we travel up the great northern peninsula on our voyage to St Anthony, we'll see the northern boreal forest inhabited by moose, caribou and bald eagles. Take time while in St Anthony to climb the 476 step walkway to experience breath taking views over Fishing Point and surrounding communities, visit the Grenfell Interpretation Centre to gain insight into the amazing life of Dr. Grenfell and the work of the Grenfell Mission, and don't miss Viking Landing (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), an archaeological site featuring the reconstructions of three Norse buildings which are the earliest known European settlement in the New World. St John's Come along with us to visit the 400-year-old commercial port and capital of Newfoundland, St. John’s; where the Atlantic Ocean and the rising sun make their first appearance in North America. As we depart St. John's harbor and head north, we will witness majestic humpbacks frolicking in the Atlantic, we'll pass island colonies of seabirds (home to thousands of nesting puffins, gannets, kittiwake and storm petrels), 10,000 year old icebergs will drift by, and we'll experience dramatic coastlines. Together aboard Wanderbird, we'll explore tiny fishing communities such as like Trinity, Hearts Content, and Twillingate, as we make new friends and greet old friends alike. Newfoundland is made up of a people whose lives have been shaped by the sea for over 500 years. Learn of rich traditions and history that are celebrated through local music and art. As we travel up the great northern peninsula to end our voyage in St Anthony, we'll see the northern boreal forest inhabited by moose, caribou and bald eagles. Cape Spear Natonal Historic Site The most easterly point in North America, Cape Spear served as a strategic location for a lighthouse in the eighteenth century and a military fort in the nineteenth century. Since 1836, the site has been home to the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland. Restored to its original appearance, the lighthouse interprets the life of a 19th century lightkeeper and his family. Cape St. Marys Ecological Reserve Cape Shore; near St. Brides & Branch on the Avalon Peninsula. One of the most accessable seabird nesting colonies in North America Fort Amherst Lighthouse, Museum & Tea Room The former lightkeeper's dwelling has been transformed into a museum, photo gallery, tea room and craft shop. Can be booked for private parties, meetings, gatherings, etc. Spectacular view & a must see for lighthouse enthusiasts. Johnson Geo Center An absolute must see: featuring the stories behind the radical changes that take place in our climate, the story of Earth, 550 million year old exposed rock walls, and exibit called Our Planet, Our Province, Our People & Our Future, as well as specimens of Newfoundland and Labrador's most significant rocks and minerals. Railway Coastal Museum Former train station. In this magnificent heritage building, this museum exhibits the 100 year history of the Newfoundland Railway and Coastal Boat services. The Rooms The Rooms cultural & heritage site unites the Provincial Museum, the Provincial Art Gallery and the Provincial Archives under one roof. The Rooms is a portal to the many stories our province has to tell... its unique modern design mirrors the "fishing rooms"where families came together to process their catch decades ago. Signal Hill Tour the Visitor Centre to learn the military and merchant ship history, also the first trans-atlantic communications site. Hike some of Signal Hill's 5 km of walking trails while watching for whales, seabirds and icebergs along the coast. |     |
For tourism information see: Saint Pierre Department of Tourism
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Labrador, we experience one of the planet's last great wilderness
frontiers. Nain is the gateway to the Arctic, and we will be keeping a
lookout for the Great White Bear! Labrador is sparsely inhabited by
descendants of Paleo Indians that thrived 9000 years ago, viking
settlers, Basque whalers, Moravian missionaries, traders and explorers.
The Labrador tundra is inhabited by caribou, moose, wolves, lynx,
Arctic hare and ptarmigan. The icy waters are teeming with whales,
seal, salmon, char and iceberg. The Labrador coast supports the
greatest variety of seabirds on the planet. Join us as we travel down
this magnificent, wild and absolutely pristine coast. We will see
icebergs, explore fjords, outpost villages and experience waters
teeming with wildlife! Red Bay Right and bowhead whales, once plentiful in the waters of coastal Labrador, attracted whalers from the Basque country (northern Spain and southern France) during the 16th century. A thriving industry based on the production of whale oil for export to Europe developed along the Labrador coast during the mid to late 1500s. The busiest port for this historic enterprise was the sheltered harbour of Red Bay. Sixteenth-century Basque whaling in Labrador is portrayed in the exhibit "A Whaling Station" at the Canadian Museum of Civilisation here in Red Bay. Battle Harbour One of the many ports we will visit on our Southern Labrador Voyage, Battle Harbour situated on a small island, was for two centuries the economic and social centre of the southeastern Labrador coast. Mercantile saltfish premises first established there in the 1770s developed into a thriving community that was known as the "Capital of Labrador". Eclipsed in recent decades by changing economies and settlement patterns, the former glory of Battle Harbour has now been revived. Six years of research and painstaking architectural restoration has breathed new life into this unique, historic place. Through the efforts of the Battle Harbour Historic Trust, the village of Battle Harbour is now a living commemoration of the life and society created there by Newfoundlanders and Labradorians during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. This is a real treasure - not to be missed. Goose Bay The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, considered the "Hub of Labrador", is located at the extreme western end of Lake Melville, a long salt-water inlet lake extending 210km inland from the Labrador Sea. The scenic, snow capped Mealy Mountains border one side of the lake and a great rolling plain the other. The fur trade originally brought settlers to Central Labrador. Others were attached to the central corridor because of its abundance of fish, wildlife, timber, rich soil and the long growing season. In 1941, the air base at Goose Bay was built as a landing and refuelling stop for the Atlantic Ferry Command. After only 79 days of construction, three 7,000-foot runways were ready to receive aircraft. During the Second World War, thousands of aircraft passed through Goose Bay. The war represented a turning point in history, not only for the Lake Melville region, but for all of Labrador. Currently, the base provides support and co-ordination for NATO tactical flight training activities. The new town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay was formed in 1973 and it had all of the facilities of a modern town. The current population of the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is approximately 8800. Four main cultural groups make up the population of Central Labrador: Innu, Inuit, Metis and Settlers. Nain Established in 1771 by Moravian Missionaries, Nain is the northern most community in Labrador. It is approximately 230 air miles north of Happy Valley Goose Bay. the population in Nain is primarily made up of Inuit families. The commercial fishing season usually lasts from July to October. The main species of fish processed at he Nain Fish Plant are Arctic Char, Atlantic salmon, Turbot and Scallop. People fish as far north as Hebron. In late spring (April/May) just before the ice breaks up (usually in June), people fish for trout for home consumption at river mouths around Nain. Subsistence hunting is performed year-round for different species of animals, marine mammals and birds: ducks and geese are hunted in the fall just before freeze-up; caribou is mainly hunted in the spring when the George River Caribou Herd passes on its way to calving grounds between Nain and Hebron; some trapping is done during winter months for fox, wolf, etc., and seals are hunted year round. |      |
The Arctic can be defined as the region centred on the north pole, where ice dominates the landscape, more precisely as the region where the soil is permanently frozen and trees cannot grow. The Arctic Circle is located at 66 1/2 degrees north.
This is the lowest latitude at which the midnight sun is seen. Wanderbird's northernmost adventures begin (or end) in a small Labrador Inuit community and end (or begin) in the Arctic Community of Aasiaat, Greenland.
The Wanderbird is based in Culebra this winter for week-long cruises departing from and returning to this magical island.
It is incredibly beautiful around the Spanish Caribbean Islands. Snorkeling, climbing for fresh coconuts, pale blue warm salty water, amazing cute little seaside towns, roaming wild horses originally brought by the Spaniards on Vieques, iguanas and wild chickens on Culebra and post card beaches.... life is good. Come join us!
Located
about nineteen miles east of Puerto Rico and eight miles north of
Vieques, Culebra is the smallest of the inhabited Spanish Virgin
Islands. She is seven miles long and 3 miles wide. Her many beaches are
some of the most beautiful in the world.Culebra is an arid island, having no rivers or streams. She gets her water from Puerto Rico via Vieques. Because of the lack of run-off from streams and rivers, Culebra boasts crystal clear waters with sixty feet of visibility on a bad day.
Culebra is an island municipality under the domain of Puerto Rico, which has been under the protection of the United States, since its annexation from Spain in 1898. In 1909 the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge was established. The refuge takes in over one thousand four hundred acres of land and is well known both as a nesting area for numerous seabirds, as well as the endangered leatherback turtle and Culebra giant anole.
Culebra has by about three thousand residents. The quiet, unspoiled island has little to offer in nightlife, except for a quiet, safe walk in the moonlight or the occasional sound of guitar music from one of her few night spots. The island has little crime and very little to do, but relax at the beach or your favorite watering hole. The snorkeling and scuba diving around Culebra are outstanding. Hard and soft corals abound in the shallows and magnificent reefs encircle the island. Tropical fish and other sea life abound. The depths rarely exceed one hundred feet.
In
2012 we will cruise aboard the Wanderbird in South East Alaska along
the famous Inside Passage in the beautiful Tongass National Forest. We
have both dreamed of doing this since we were kids and we feel that the
time is right to make it happen. The Wanderbird is the perfect vessel
for such a cruise and we feel that she is as anxious to go as we are!
We will leave Maine in October of 2011 and make the trip around in
charterable stages. These stages will be available to the more
adventurous of you who would like to join us as we reposition the
vessel almost 5000 nautical miles. There will be more to follow on
these repositioning legs with stages such as Maine to Bermuda, Bermuda
to the US Virgin Islands, The San Blas Islands, a transit of the Panama
Canal and more! Our 2012 schedule in SE Alaska will find us cruising
the inside passage on seven day expeditions between Petersburg, Sitka
and Juneau Alaska.
Northern lights is the common name of the light phenomenon often seen in northern regions. The scientific name “Aurora Borealis” refers to this celestial phenomenon of rays or curtains of colored light that appear in the sky predominantly in the polar regions of the earth. As particles hit the upper atmosphere of the earth in what is called an auroral sub-storm, it causes rays of light to appear to be cast down from the celestial heavens, forming a band of curtains which move and spread across the sky and horizon. Last summer we saw Northern Lights while in Labrador that moved like translucent curtains gently blowing in the wind and as faint green and white flames.
Wanderbirds Alaskan Ports-of Call
The Tongass National Forest, the nation's largest national forest, covers most of Southeast Alaska, surrounding the famous Inside Passage. It offers unique chances to view eagles, bears, spawning salmon, and the breath-taking vistas of "wild" Alaska.
Petersburg
We are pleased to visit this vibrant fishing community with a strong Norwegian heritage. Located in protected waters filled with islands and bays and harbors, the area and waterways are rich with wildlife just waiting to be explored. Here we find friendly people, lush forests, glaciers, whale watching and birding. The ocean waters around Petersburg, AK are the summer home to over 500 humpback whales.
Sitka
With
views of island-studded waters and stately spruce forests reaching to
the water’s edge, Sitka is considered Alaska’s most beautiful seaside
town. Yet Sitka’s hallmark is its tenure and devotion to a culturally
diverse past.Ancestral home of the Tlingit Indians, captured by the Russians, sold to the Americans – Sitka carries the legacy of each. While this fascinating heritage is well documented in local museums, Sitka’s ancestry isn’t found only in shelved archives and artifacts. Rather it is all around.
Sitka is home to 24 attractions listed on the National Register of Historic Places, seven of which are National Historical Landmarks. Visitors won’t find a lack of explanation for the incredible sites, whether embarking on one of several walking or vehicle tours, or chatting with a long-time resident. Sitkans are rightfully proud and simply eager to share the folklore.
JuneauJuneau, Alaska's capital city is the third largest city in the state. Like Alaska, Juneau is full of contrasts, a sophisticated cosmopolitan city in the heart of the Tongass National Forest. Nestled at the base of towering mountains overlooking the Gastineau Channel, the community's rich culture and history is displayed throughout the town. Juneau has a vibrant urban feel with great dining, shopping and lodging, while being surrounded by jaw-dropping scenic vistas. A visit to Juneau delivers tastes that delight the senses. From Alaska salmon, halibut and crab to sourdough bagels, homemade fudge, and award-winning coffee and beer, Juneau can satisfy even the most discriminating palate. As we take to the water and cruise past the area's beautiful glacial landscapes, we will often see sea lions and graceful humpback whales.
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