Day at sea—this is a perfect first day for everybody since you can pass it however you like. If you are tired after your travels you can just relax on deck. If you want a holiday day you can find the best spot on the ship and read your favorite book or enjoy the warmth of the sun on your skin and breeze in your face. Or you can spend your day trying to learn the sails, masts and rigging of Sea Cloud under sail.
So starting at 0845 the expedition leader gave the introduction to the sails and sailing maneuvers on Sea Cloud while the sails were being set. Following his explanation with a sail diagram in hand we learned that Sea Cloud has four masts: foremast, main mast, mizzen mast, and spanker (jigger) mast. All of them except the spanker mast are rigged with square sails: royals, topgallants, upper and lower topsails, and today we even set the highest of the square sails, the sky sail. We also found out that the bowsprit has three jibs: flying, outer, and inner jib. And we tried to find where the staysails are, and what a bikini sail is…
The Sea Cloud, like any other tall ship, is a dream for photographers. If you are one of them you wouldn’t be able to stop taking pictures of white sails in blue sky from as many angles as possible, or brown boobies around the ship catching the flying fish for their lunch. All of that accompanied by delicious food, Caribbean cocktails, warm sun, cooling breeze, and finished by the orange sun falling behind the horizon. Nothing more but just sailing….
“I am sailing, I am sailing,
home again 'cross the sea.
I am sailing, stormy waters,
to be near you, to be free.
I am flying, I am flying.
like a bird 'cross the sky.
I am flying, passing high clouds,
to be with you, to be free.
Can you hear me, can you hear me
thro' the dark night, far away
I am dying, forever trying
to be with you, to be free.
We are sailing, we are sailing,
home again 'cross the sea.
We are sailing stormy waters,
to be near you, to be free.
Oh Lord, to be near you, to be free.”
