Ocean Nova, Sable Island: Wild Horses and Outpost Legacy ex St. John’s return – 19 Jul 2028 – Cruise Traveller

Ocean Nova, Sable Island: Wild Horses and Outpost Legacy ex St. John’s return

Cruise Line
Adventure Canada
Ship
Ocean Nova
Cruise Departs
19 Jul 2028
Other Dates
Cruise Duration
7 Nights
Embark Ship
St John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Disembark Ship
St John's, Newfoundland, Canada
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Interior Oceanview Balcony Suite
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Cruise Itinerary

DateActivityArriveDepart
19 Jul 2028
St John's, Newfoundland, Canada
 Embark
20 Jul 2028 At sea    
21 Jul 2028
Sable Island, Canada
22 Jul 2028
Sable Island, Canada
23 Jul 2028
Sable Island, Canada
 Southern Coast
24 Jul 2028
Sable Island, Canada
25 Jul 2028
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, France
26 Jul 2028
St John's, Newfoundland, Canada
 Disembark

All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.

Highlights
– Witness the world’s largest grey seal colony hauled out along windswept beaches
– Encounter Sable’s iconic wild horses, untamed and resilient, moving with quiet power across the dunes
– Wander the shifting sand dunes of this crescent-shaped island—a smile in the sea
– Spot Ipswich sparrows—an endemic subspecies found only here
– Learn about Sable’s human history: shipwrecks, survival, and scientific discovery
– Reflect on the legacy of the island’s life-saving stations and the people who once lived at the edge of the Atlantic

Itinerary
Day 1: St. John’s, NL, Canada – Into the Atlantic from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Our journey begins in the vibrant, salt-tinged heart of Newfoundland: St. John’s. With its colourful row houses, steep streets, and lively spirit, this harbour city is not only picturesque—it’s storied. Since 1498, Europeans have fished here, making St. John’s the oldest continuous European settlement in North America. But long before that, this coast was known to Indigenous peoples, the Beothuck, who populated the coast and navigated these waters.

Casting off from St. John’s is a moment to savour. We’ll pass through the legendary Narrows, where Signal Hill towers above—a sentinel to centuries of comings and goings. As Cape Spear, North America’s easternmost point, slips past on starboard, we’ll head into open waters with stirring anticipation.
The adventure is underway.

Day 2: At Sea – Stories, Wildlife, and Ocean Horizons
Our time at sea offers the perfect opportunity to dive into the stories that shape the journey ahead. Today, our on-board presentation series begins in earnest, as members of the expedition team share their knowledge of Sable Island’s extraordinary ecology, geology, and human history.
While the learning continues inside, the outer decks beckon. Keep your binoculars at the ready—this corner of the northwest Atlantic is rich with life. Watch for seabirds, whales, and dolphins from deck. Life aboard balances comfort and discovery—with inviting lounges, great food, a library, and sweeping views of open ocean.

Day 3–6: Sable Island – The Living Sands of Sable
As we approach Sable Island, its long crescent of sand emerges from the Atlantic, an isolated world shaped by wind, water, and time.

Our time there is conducted in close collaboration with Parks Canada, ensuring all visits are respectful of this delicate and protected ecosystem.

Landing by Zodiac (weather permitting), we step onto sand sculpted by wind and tide. Grey seals dot the shoreline like boulders, their grunts and scent carried by the salty breeze. Endemic Ipswich sparrows—the island’s signature songbird—flit among marram grass and beach peas. Arctic and common terns wheel overhead.

Looking to the horizon, wild horses may appear first as ghostly shapes in the mist or as distant silhouettes cresting the dune ridges. You may hear the rhythmic thunder of hooves, and, with patience, you may witness tender moments between mares and foals, or stallions sparring over the attention of a mare.

These animals are not just icons of wildness—they’re testaments to survival, having endured decades of isolation, wind, and shifting sands.

Naturalists will guide our experience with insight into the island’s layered history. We’ll hear shipwreck tales, explore shifting landscapes, and learn about Sable’s former life-saving stations—hubs of human endurance in a remote and volatile world. Zodiac outings offer a unique sea-level view of the island’s coastal life, seal colonies, and its ever-changing contours.

Day 7: Saint-Pierre, France – A French Sojourn in Saint-Pierre
Today we arrive in Saint-Pierre—a small but spirited remnant of France nestled off Newfoundland’s southern coast. As the last vestige of France’s once-vast colonial presence in North America, Saint-Pierre offers a cultural experience that feels both familiar and entirely unexpected.
The island’s 6,500 residents are of diverse descent, including French, Basque, Breton, and Norman. Their heritage is evident not only in the language but in the rhythm of daily life—from cafés that spill onto cobbled sidewalks to the melodic lilt of local conversation.

Saint-Pierre’s architecture is as eclectic as its history: narrow alleys, colourful facades, and charming storefronts evoke a sense of old-world charm that’s rare this side of the Atlantic. During our visit, you’ll enjoy a guided tour as well as time to explore at your own pace. Perhaps you’ll sample French wine and cheese, visit a local museum, or simply soak in the island’s unmistakable ambiance.
It’s a day to savour—a little slice of Europe wrapped in salt air and Atlantic mist.

Day 8: St. John’s, NL, Canada – Return to St. John’s
We arrive back in St. John’s in the morning as Sable Island’s imprint lingers: salt on the wind, footprints in the sand, echoes of stories carved by sea and survival. It invites reflection.

Imagine waking up to breathtaking sea views through your cabin windows, each one whispering promises of adventure. Built in Denmark in 1992 for Greenland’s icy waters, this ship sails with a lighter carbon footprint than most expedition vessels. Its crown jewel? A glass-enclosed lounge with sweeping 200-degree views–perfect for whale watching and seabird spotting. Prefer the outdoors? The open decks are a dream for photographers and scenery lovers. With a shallow draft and easy Zodiac access, you’ll spend more time exploring and less time ferrying. Meals feature open seating and ocean views, with globally inspired options to suit all tastes-including vegetarian and fish dishes. Desserts, made fresh daily, are a highlight. Special diets? We’ve got you covered! On the Ocean Nova, every moment connects you to nature, each other, and discovery.

Ship Profile & Stats

  • Length: 74 meters
  • Tonnage: 2,535 GT
  • Maiden Voyage: 1992
  • Passenger Capacity (dbl): 78
  • Ship Registration: Denmark

Founded in 1987, Adventure Canada was created to bring travellers to Canada’s “blank spaces”, those areas whose remoteness alone made them special. Over the last fifteen years, along with our guests, we have discovered that there is so much that is extraordinary about the places we travel, from the landscape, wildlife and culture to the history, art and archeology that is unique to every destination. It is our belief that there is so much to see “beyond the binoculars” that drives us to delve deeper into our favourite places with every expedition and continually seek out new destinations.

We travel by small expedition ship, the best suited mode of transportation for remote exploration. The number of passengers on our voyages run between 45 and 100, depending on the ship we choose. We believe that these small vessels are superior, as they not only allow us to gain access to places not accessible by larger vessels, but our fleet of Zodiac landing craft permit us to visit some of the most remote places imaginable – the key to expeditionary travel.

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