Our last full day together on Sea Cloud was spent cruising the serene blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We had brief visits from some charismatic breaching dolphins. While the sun was blazing and the air was humid, our expedition leader and captain decided this weather begged for a cool down. Captain Svendsen and Bay Watch patrol Simon Kwinta guided guests off the gangway ladder into the refreshing saltwater pool created for them just off the portside of Sea Cloud. It was a perfect day of relaxation in between packing and prepping for the day of travel to follow. Our time together on board closed with a hazy pastel sunset on the Amalfi coastline while we navigated our way back to Naples.
Courtney was never destined to live out her life in the Midwest corn fields she grew up in. A combination of summers at the lake and childhood visits to the sea hooked her imagination to living a much saltier life instead.
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The sea was glass-calm this morning. The sailors went aloft, and we were at full sail by 10AM. Just after the justifiably famous Sea Cloud pasta wheel lunch, a strong squally developed on the starboard side with strong winds and heavy intermittent rain blowing perfectly from the east. We all rushed out to the spanker deck as our sails were billowing, filled with wind. We went from 2 knots per hour in minutes to 7.2 knots. It was exhilarating and we all reveled in the fact that we were at sea in a ship designed for such weather. We cut through the white caps with such ease and there was barely a movement on deck. We were at sea, transported back in time on a ship designed to mimic the great clipper ships of the mid-19th century. It was exhilarating and it was apparent as we looked up at the gleaming, billowing sails. Tonight, our captain introduced his officers and then our expedition leader John Frick spoke about the wonders of our journey. Lastly, we enjoyed the captain’s farewell dinner.
We had an incredibly full day among the Aeolian Islands. Overnight, the captain had brought the ship to the westernmost island of the archipelago, Alicudi, and began to sail east, passing Filicudi and Salina. At 0800, sailors hit the rig and raised all sails. After breakfast, Lindblad Historian Tom Heffernan both educated and delighted guests with his talk on the decipherment of Linear B script. By this time, Sea Cloud was in the lee of Lipari Island; with little wind and very low sailing speed in calm seas, we could offer a Zodiac photo safari around the vessel. Guests were thrilled to get photos from the water of the magnificent Sea Cloud under full sail! We had another tasty Mediterranean buffet lunch on the lido deck as the ship arrived at anchor below “The Castle” off the main town of Lipari. After lunch, our Zodiacs whisked guests to the pier side in the picturesque small harbor where our two guides met us and brought us up through the colorful town to meet our coaches. We proceeded on a low-key and delightful tour around the island, stopping for beautiful views of steaming Vulcano, the rugged coastline, and other neighboring Aeolian Islands. Returning to town, we climbed onto the Lipari Castle promontory and visited the large and surprisingly impressive Archaeological Museum. Guests then had time to wander the town with its many shops or to return to the ship. As an added surprise, Sea Cloud “Beach Club” opened for the first time this season, and twelve adventurous guests braved the somewhat chilly waters to swim off the ship’s gangway. Following a beautiful cocktail hour sail-away from Lipari, we enjoyed a festive dinner on deck. Afterwards, guests joined the famous Sea Cloud Sea Shanty Singers to sing their salty songs of the seas. The excitement was not yet over! By 22:30, Sea Cloud neared and passed close to the active volcanic island of Stromboli where we witnessed quite significant eruptions and showers of incandescent ash. What a day!
We spent the morning with our local guides, touring the picturesque hill-town of Taormina, a former Greek settlement. We walked down Taormina’s main street, Corso Umberto, and visited Palazzo Corvaja, which is known for a mixture of architectural styles, including Norman, Arab and Gothic. We ended our tour at the Teatro Greco, a third-century BC theater where the works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes were performed. The theater was later enlarged by the Romans. Those who climbed to the upper level were rewarded with views of Mount Etna and the Bay of Naxos below. Afterward, we had free time to explore and shop for colorful souvenirs and tasty treats, from olive oil to gelato. The highlight of the day was our lunch at Castello delgi Schivai, an 18th-century villa that was used in The Godfather movies. We were greeted by the owner with hors d'oeuvres and drinks, then watched scenes from The Godfather movies before taking a short tour. Afterward, we enjoyed a grand feast with live traditional music. We returned to Sea Cloud and sailed through the Straits of Messina, which separates mainland Italy from the island of Sicily. The narrow passageway is only two miles wide at the northern end. The strait is where Odysseus narrowly escaped in Homer’s Odyssey .
