Welcome to the Zegrahm Expeditions resources page! Here you will find inspiration for your next adventure and information from your last adventure, produced by our field leaders, Seattle office staff, and contributing writers. From blog posts and field reports (daily recaps of a past expeditions with images) to photo galleries and videos, explore your world from our perspective.
In 1961, the 17th-century Swedish warship Vasa was recovered from the Baltic Sea. King Gustavus Adolphus had spared no expense in building what was to be one of the most powerful warships of its day, carrying more than 60 cannons on two gun decks and decorated with exquisite sculptures of mythic gods and mermaids.
Sadly, the Vasa sank on its maiden voyage not far from the Stockholm harbor. More than 300 years later, its...
Susan Langley is the State Underwater Archaeologist for the Maryland Historical Trust. She received her B.A. in anthropology from the University of Toronto and her M.A. and Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Calgary. Her long-standing interest is updating international and national heritage protection legislation, to which end she often consults...
Susan Langley is the State Underwater Archaeologist for the Maryland Historical Trust. She received her B.A. in anthropology from the University of Toronto and her M.A. and Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Calgary. Her long-standing interest is updating international and national heritage protection legislation, to which end she often consults...
Long-time Zegrahm leader, Susan Langley, is the State Underwater Archaeologist for the Maryland Historic Trust. She is a dive safety officer for the state of Maryland and is a master scuba diver trainer through PADI. Susan teaches classes and seminars on marine archaeology, and recently had a project recognized by President Obama! (...
Stately Greek temples. Intricate Roman mosaics. Hot sulfurous lava. Cold Italian ices. A verdant green countryside dotted with yellow blossoms bursting from acacia trees. Spring in Sicily is the perfect time to sail its coastline and savor everything about it that delights the senses. Our Zegrahm voyage in 2011 gave us ten perfect days to explore this historic island.
On one of those spectacular, clear, blue-sky days, with cool breezes over the water and warm temperatures on land, we...
An excellent way to start the day! Brunch, sunshine, and a full day tour of the stunning archaeology of the Orkney Islands. Of course, I confess to being somewhat biased in my enthusiasm—having spent some 30 years of my life digging in Orkney and discovering its Viking past—but enthusiasm is infectious!
The small capital city of Kirkwall, whose skyline is dominated by the magnificent red and yellow sandstone Cathedral dedicated to St Magnus, the martyr saint of Orkney, positively...
We stepped out into the cool crisp air of a shaded streamside valley in northeastern Turkey. The temperature here in the mountains was noticeably different than the Black Sea coast from where we came, some 4,000 feet below us. Imbedded in the cliff face high above our heads sat the spectacular Sumela Monastery, its buff-colored stone glistening in the bright morning sun.
Local vans whisked us up the final bit of narrow winding road, but the last 300 meters to the Monastery could only...
Springtime is the best time to be in the Adriatic. The hillsides are ablaze with poppies, irises, and gorse and the medieval walled cities are filled with festivals of the season. We watched Easter Pageants in Malta and Sicily and toured the palaces, archaeological sites, and bustling mountain-top bazaars of Corfu and Albania.
In Montenegro we spent the early morning on deck watching as our ship navigated the winding fjord of Boka Kotorska. Once we were alongside beneath the walls of...
As lifelong adventurers we are constantly seeking our own secret paths. When we were children these paths might have begun with the simple shortcuts home from school, through a neighbor’s yard, or across a wild meadow. Later, these paths took the form of roads and hidden delights we discovered while extending the borders of our surroundings, venturing farther afield and around the globe.
Now our travels take us to foreign cities and villages where we wander labyrinthine...
In my many years of travel, I have found that each season seems to claim a region for her own and is the place she brings out her very best.
Spring chooses the Mediterranean and fills the shores with bird-song and a colorful explosion of wild flowers. Autumn picks the Black Sea after harvest, when families gather and tables groan under the weight of feasts and wines. And summer has chosen the Baltic, where she lengthens her days and breaks out her best along the southern amber shores...
