This was the most amazing trip. It was a mini-cruise from Portsmouth to Bilbao.
On board the Pride of Bilbao are a team of dolphin and whale experts who kept us informed of all the activity going on.
We left Portsmouth at around 8pm and were treated to a stunning sunset. The ship itself was comfortable with three restaurants, three bars, a Costa, a small shopping mall, a beauty salon, a cinema, a pool with jacuzzi and sauna, a number of decks, a quiet room with dimmed lighting for relaxation, a TV room, a casino.
They are also well equipped for people with a disability - a mini-bus to the ship, a lift onto the ship, spaces to park your wheelchair etc next to your cabin and easy access to most things.
The first evening we upgraded our cabin (I have taught Hubbie the art of getting free upgrades) and then we settled into our comfortable and large four berth cabin and then went for a meal.
I had a ginormous salad for £4 and hubbie had an omelette. We then wandered around the ship to orientate ourselves and at 10pm went to bed.
The following morning we had breakfast (we had taken our own food!) and then went on deck and spent the whole day in the sun.
At 4pm the marine experts announced dolphins and whales. I got to the lowest deck possible at the bow and could not believe the amount of dolphins that rode the bow for about half an hour.
I was just about to move away when I spotted a dark shadow about the size of a bungalow and I almost dropped my camera when a fin whale came to the surface. Then within an hour we saw a Minke, a Sperm whale and a beaked whale. Some were too far out to be photographed but the memory is burned into my brain.
I also spotted a Shearwater gull. The going was smooth with very little swell and the sun shone until 8pm. More tomorrow.
I forgot to add that the mini-cruise cost £36 return!
