Today, we step ashore in a port steeped in maritime history and royal connections: Plymouth. This city's rich legacy begins with the Mayflower, which set sail from Plymouth in 1620, carrying the first Pilgrims to America. Landing at Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts, this voyage marked a pivotal moment in Europe's expansion to the 'New World', with over 30 million people today tracing their ancestry to its 102 passengers and crew from England and Leiden, Holland. Plymouth's maritime heritage extends to Sir Francis Drake, a celebrated naval commander and explorer. Famous for circumnavigating the globe and defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588, Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I aboard his ship, the Golden Hind, in Plymouth harbor. Over the centuries, Plymouth's naval significance has deepened royal ties, with the late Duke of Edinburgh serving as Commodore-in-Chief for Plymouth. This enduring connection underscores Plymouth's pivotal role in British naval history and its global influence. Our locally guided tour begins at Plymouth Hoe, where sweeping views across Plymouth Sound set the scene for centuries of maritime adventure. This broad waterfront promenade has witnessed some of the defining moments in England's history and it was here, according to legend, that Sir Francis Drake was finishing a game of bowls when news arrived of the approaching Spanish Armada. Unruffled, he is said to have remarked that there was still time to finish the game before defeating the Spaniards, a victory that helped establish England as a dominant seafaring power. As we stroll along the Hoe, passing the iconic lighthouse and gazing out towards the open sea, it is easy to understand why generations of sailors, explorers, and adventurers set their sights on distant horizons from these shores. Our walk then leads us into the heart of Plymouth's historic waterfront and to the Mayflower Steps, from where the Pilgrim Fathers are traditionally believed to have embarked aboard the Mayflower in 1620. Nearby, the Mayflower Museum brings to life this extraordinary voyage and the enduring links it created between Plymouth and America. The story continues in the atmospheric Barbican, a maze of cobbled lanes, historic quays, galleries, shops, and inviting cafes. Here you will have free time to explore at your own pace before returning to the ship, leaving with a deeper appreciation of a city whose shores have launched voyages that changed the world. Having followed the trail of seafarers, explorers, and naval officers, we return to the Douglas Mawson to sail the Devonshire and Cornish coasts in the early afternoon. ...
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