WEST AFRICA PELAGIC
WEST AFRICA PELAGIC
Expedition Cruise from Cape Verde to Madeira
A 9-day expedition cruise through some of the most seabird-rich waters in the Atlantic.
After twelve years, the West Africa Pelagic is back. This nine-day ocean crossing from the Cape Verde archipelago to Madeira sails through waters along the West African shelf that almost no organised expedition has ever reached, upwelling zones where seabird and cetacean diversity is exceptional and very few boats ever go there. If you have spent years peering at tubenoses from headlands and ferries, this is what comes next.
Trip Overview
The waters between Cape Verde and Madeira are among the least visited and most productive seabird habitats in the Atlantic. This nine-day expedition aboard the MV Plancius covers nearly 2,000 nautical miles of open ocean — from the archipelago of Cape Verde north along the West African shelf to the Canary Islands, the Selvagens and finally Madeira.
The route is designed around the movements of seabirds and cetaceans and spending the days at sea are the point. Petrels, shearwaters, skuas, storm-petrels and phalaropes seen from the ship through waters that few naturalists and bird ethusiasts ever reach, and the Selvagen Islands, one of the most important seabird breeding sites in the Western Palearctic, are the ornithological centrepiece of the crossing.
Killian Mullarney and Nils van Duivendijk lead the expedition, two of the most respected names in European bird identification, both with extensive experience at sea.
Where and when?
The expedition departs from Praia, on the southern island of Santiago in the Cape Verde archipelago, and arrives nine days later in Funchal, Madeira. The route heads north-northeast along the West African shelf, one of the most productive upwelling zones in the Atlantic, before turning northwest toward the Canary Islands, the remote Selvagen Islands and finally the Desertas, the uninhabited archipelago that guards the approach to Madeira.
May is an optimal month for this crossing. Spring migration is still active, northern breeders are moving through in numbers, and the Selvagen Islands are alive with returning petrels and shearwaters gathering offshore before dark.
For whom is this tour?
This voyage is designed for seabirders, bird photographers and naturalists who want to spend serious time at sea, people who understand that the best pelagic experiences come from being in the right waters at the right time, with the right people to help identify what flies past.
If you have done pelagic trips from shore or on ferries and want to go further — longer route, rarer species, more time at sea — this is the logical next step.
Seabird & Wildlife Highlights
Cape Verde & Macaronesian waters
Cape Verde Shearwater · Boyd's Shearwater · Fea's Petrel · Bulwer's Petrel · Cape Verde Storm-petrel · White-faced Storm-petrel · Red-billed Tropicbird · Red-footed Booby · Brown Booby · Raso Lark
West African shelf
Great Skua · Arctic Skua · Long-tailed Skua · Pomarine Skua · Grey Phalarope · Sabine's Gull · Black Tern · Kittiwake · European Storm-petrel · Wilson's Storm-petrel · Sooty Shearwater · South Polar Skua
Selvagen & Canary Islands
Cory's Shearwater · Barolo's Shearwater · Bulwer's Petrel · Madeira Storm-petrel · White-faced Storm-petrel
Desertas & Madeira
Desertas Petrel · Zino's Petrel · Cory's Shearwater · Madeira Storm-petrel
Cetaceans
Short-finned Pilot Whale · Sperm Whale · Fin Whale · Northern Bottlenose Whale · Cuvier's Beaked Whale · Common Dolphin · Bottlenose Dolphin · Rough-toothed Dolphin
Prices and options
Quadruple Porthole
Sold out- 2 portholes
- 2 upper / lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
Twin Porthole
Sold out- 2 portholes
- 2 lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
Twin Window
Cabins available- 2 windows
- 2 lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
Twin Deluxe
Cabins available- 3 windows
- 2 lower berths
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Small sofa
- Refrigerator
- Coffee & tea maker
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
Superior
Cabins available- Minimum 2 windows
- 1 double bed
- 1 single (sofa) bed
- Private shower & toilet
- Desk & chair
- Refrigerator
- Coffee & tea maker
- Flatscreen TV
- Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
- Hair dryer
- Safe deposit box
- Ample storage space
What’s included
8 nights accommodation on board
All meals on board, including coffee, tea and snacks
All landings and zodiac cruises
Use of rubber boots
All lectures and presentations by the expedition team
Port charges, taxes and AECO surcharges
What’s not included
International flights to Praia (RAI) and from Funchal (FNC)
Pre- and post- land arrangements.
Passport and visa expenses.
Meals ashore.
Alcoholic beverages.
Crew gratuities (guidelines provided on board)
Personal expenses, laundry services, telecommunication charges.
Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
Any items or services not explicitly mentioned in the inclusions section
Tour Itinerary
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Passengers embark the MV Plancius in Praia at 16:00. The ship departs along the west coast of Santiago and heads north toward the island of Raso. The evening crossing passes through productive shearwater and cetacean waters, with Cape Verde Shearwater, Boyd's Shearwater, Fea's Petrel and Bulwer's Petrel among the first targets of the expedition.
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The morning is spent circumnavigating Raso — a small, rugged island in the northwest of the archipelago where Cape Verde and White-faced Storm-petrels nest in large numbers. Raso Lark, Red-billed Tropicbird and Red-footed Booby are among the key targets from the zodiacs. By midday the ship heads northeast toward the continental shelf of West Africa.
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A full day crossing deep water between Cape Verde and the West African shelf. Seabirds and cetaceans throughout the day as the ship heads east.
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Two days cruising north along the shelf edge off Mauritania and Western Sahara — some of the richest and least-visited upwelling waters in the Atlantic. All four northern skua species are expected, along with Grey Phalarope, Sabine's Gull, Kittiwake, Black Tern and European Storm-petrel. Cetacean possibilities include Fin Whale, Sperm Whale, Northern Bottlenose Whale and Cuvier's Beaked Whale.
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The ship explores the deepwater channels around La Gomera, a known hotspot for whales and dolphins. Barolo's Shearwater, Cory's Shearwater, Bulwer's Petrel and White-faced Storm-petrel are among the targets, alongside Rough-toothed Dolphin and Short-finned Pilot Whale.
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The expedition reaches the remote Selvagens in the afternoon — perhaps the most important seabird breeding site in the western Palearctic. Approximately 15,000 Cory's Shearwaters, 5,000 Bulwer's Petrels, 60,000 White-faced Storm-petrels and 1,500 pairs of Madeira Storm-petrels breed here. An evening zodiac cruise offers close views of seabirds gathering offshore before returning to their nests after dark.
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The afternoon is spent sailing alongside the Desertas — a protected nature reserve belonging to the Madeira archipelago. Desertas Petrel, Cory's Shearwater, Bulwer's Petrel and Madeira Storm-petrel breed here. Sperm Whale, Common Dolphin and Bottlenose Dolphin are regularly seen in the surrounding waters, along with a small resident population of Mediterranean Monk Seal.
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The final morning finds the ship approximately 20 nautical miles north of Madeira, in waters where Zino's Petrel — endemic to the island — is known to forage. Around midday the MV Plancius arrives in Funchal, where passengers disembark.
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Please note: the above itinerary is subject to change depending on weather conditions, wildlife sightings and the decisions of the expedition leader on board. Flexibility is essential on expedition cruises.
Interested in this tour?
Fill in the form below to request your spot, or write to us at warblertours@gmail.com
