The DER below is from the expedition to Cuba that began on March 1, 2017.

At dawn we sailed from Trinidad for the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), the largest island in the Archipelago de los Canarreos off Cuba’s south coast. Embarking on a full day passage on the open sea, all were looking forward to relaxing on Panorama II’s foredeck under clear skies. As we discovered part way through the afternoon, recent persistent winds and seas closed the harbor entrance at our destination resulting in a change of plans for tomorrow’s excursions.

Nonetheless, the abundant sunshine and slower schedule afforded the chance to “press pause” during our expedition; our conversations demonstrate that we’re soaking up much about this dynamic island nation and anticipating our remaining shared adventures. Today, however, guests filled their hours with good books, snacks, dolphin and flying fish sightings, and a nap or two.

Our Photo Instructor for this voyage, National Geographic photographer Kike Calvo, shared collections from several of his projects this afternoon, including images from Cuba taken nearly 20 years ago. Comparing those scenes to our recent observations was both eye opening and fascinating. Photo composition tips followed – we’ll try putting them into practice during tomorrow’s visit to Santa Clara.