Although we were a little jetlagged from the day before, we had a wonderful night socializing with our new shipmates under the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, built in the 5th century B.C. We awoke the next morning at a leisurely pace, with nowhere in particular to be, and meandered through the buffet sampling all of the delicious treats before it was time to go upstairs to see the crew hitting the rig. With our sail diagrams in hand we listened as Doug explained what the sailors were doing in the masts, the tops of which stand 58.6 meters above the waterline. It was so impressive to see Laura and Bea, the only women on the mast team, leading the way to the highest points of the ship. We got up from our chairs and made our way to the bow where they allowed us to go up on top of the fo’c’s’le. Michael Melford and Krista Rossow, our National Geographic photographers, were there to help us get the perfect photos of this magnificent ship under sail. After a few minutes we had Sea Cloud cruising through the crystal clear blue waters of the Aegean Sea at nine nautical knots!
After the sail explanation we had a bit of a break before we were introduced to the staff, photographers, and Greek guides who would be leading the trip. Krista, our photo instructor, then gave us a fascinating tutorial for those of us with basic skills to refine our photography. After her talk we retreated to our rooms or deckchairs for a quick nap or read before lunch. Sitting on the lido deck with the wind in our hair, we enjoyed a delicious buffet as we gazed out towards the passing islands. Those of us who need a little more help with the controls on our camera were treated to another session with Krista who was immediately followed by a lecture from our ship’s historian, Robin Woodward, on sanctuaries of the gods of Greece. Just when we thought we had a spare minute, they informed us that the baker would be having a special tea, complete with crepes, which was absolutely divine!
We had a break after teatime to relax and take a shower before it was time to go back up to the lido deck for the Captain’s “Welcome Aboard” cocktail party. He invited all his officers up on deck, looking sharp in their blue and white jackets, and introduced them to us. We drank champagne and got to know our new shipmates a little better until the dinner bell rang, meaning it was time to go to the dining room and enjoy a delicious four-course meal. We ate and drank to our hearts content and wandered back upstairs to stargaze and listen to Peter’s merry tunes on the piano. At the end of the day we were tired and ready to fall into bed. The expedition team did a great job of keeping us busy, even with a day at sea!
