Waking up on the Sea Cloud is like being transported back in time to an era of classic charm and elegance. Exploring the ship on the first day, you can see all the detail Marjorie Merriweather Post put into the refurbishment of the ship. Captain John Svendsen gave us a sail demonstration with a play-by-play description of what the sailors were doing as they “hit the rig.”

At that point, with the sails up and the winds in our favor, we were able to do a photo safari. We got into Zodiacs and captured images of the Sea Cloud under sail from an outside perspective. Afterward, we returned to our relaxing lounge chairs to take in the sea air and soon were dazzled by a few sperm whales. Our day ended with the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party, where we met some of his key staff and officers who help keep the ship afloat. A decadent dinner was served, and Expedition Leader Paula was able to do a bit of star gazing after.