It was somewhat of a surprise driving down the hill on the Feock side of the King Harry Ferry this morning and joining the usual queue for the crossing. At high tide, with the water right up around the wooded banks of Trelissick, sitting just off the Trelissick pontoon was the unmistakable shape of National Geographic Endurance.

I have always enjoyed this journey to work. Over the years I have regularly spotted dolphins and seals, watched some spectacular sunrises and seen the River Fal in just about every mood and weather imaginable. But seeing a National Geographic expedition ship sitting off Trelissick was certainly something different.

National Geographic Endurance is visiting Falmouth today, Friday 2 October 2026, with the official Falmouth cruise schedule showing her in port from 7am until 8pm. And she is quite some ship.

At approximately 124 metres (408ft) long and 21 metres wide, National Geographic Endurance is a purpose-built expedition vessel designed to travel to some of the most challenging and remote places on Earth. Lindblad Expeditions currently lists her as carrying 138 guests with 116 staff and crew, making her a very different proposition from the huge cruise liners we sometimes see visiting Falmouth.

She was specifically designed for polar exploration and has a Polar Code PC5 Category A ice classification, allowing her to operate in environments more readily associated with Antarctica, Greenland and the high Arctic. She was also named in honour of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his legendary Endurance expedition.

Perhaps her most distinctive feature is the unusual X-Bow at the front of the ship. Rather than a conventional bow, its shape is designed to slice through waves, reducing impact, spray and movement in difficult seas, particularly useful for a vessel whose passengers may be outside watching and photographing wildlife in challenging conditions. On board, she carries the equipment you would expect of a serious expedition vessel, including Zodiacs, kayaks, an underwater remotely operated vehicle, hydrophones and underwater video equipment. There are also observation areas, an open bridge, restaurants, a library, gym and wellness facilities.

All of which made seeing her sitting peacefully amongst the wooded banks of the River Fal at Trelissick, with passengers visiting Trelissick Gardens, seem even more remarkable.

The King Harry Ferry crosses one of Cornwall’s most beautiful stretches of water. The Roseland Peninsula lies on one side, Trelissick and its wooded estate on the other, while downstream the Fal opens into Carrick Roads and towards Falmouth.

For passengers aboard a ship designed to explore some of the world's great wildernesses, travelling up the Fal and arriving at Trelissick must have been a rather special introduction to this corner of Cornwall. For me, what started as an ordinary drive down the hill to catch the ferry turned into one of the more memorable journeys to work.

After 20 years, that's certainly one I haven't seen before.