At Sea in the Bay of Biscay
Whew! After a whirlwind start to our voyage spanning two continents and eons of history we finally had a moment to stop and reflect upon some of what we’ve seen over the past few days. It’s been a remarkable voyage thus far with surprises aplenty. From extra time in Morocco to champagne in La Coruna, we seemed to have made the most of every opportunity along the way up from northern Africa and into Western Europe. So today, we patted ourselves on the back a bit and had a chance to take in a somewhat leisurely day at sea. I say somewhat because even though no landings or ports of call marked our schedule for the day, we still had plenty of options on board with which to challenge our minds and indulge our bodies.
The expedition team furthered our knowledge of the areas we’ve been sailing by presenting a few geologic and historical tidbits that managed to bridge the gap between Africa and Europe; thusly demonstrating just how interlinked these two regions have been throughout history and even pre-history. Our guest lecturer, Peter, began what will be a two-part introduction to Lord Nelson and his role in the more recent aspects of this region’s past, and did so in authentic garb for a rather effective visual aid.
It wasn’t all presentations and scholarly conversation, however; for we also indulged in our first “official” wine-tasting of the voyage. (Though, truth be told, we’ve been enjoying the wines Steve and Sharon have provided throughout the journey.) Still, our knowledge and appreciation for the wines of this region were certainly enhanced by their introduction and discussion.
Throughout the day in into the night, we sailed on, northward through the Bay of Biscay. We hoped for wildlife and in fact saw a few sea birds, but the seas in this part can often be tempestuous so we weren’t dismayed at so few sightings when we were being treated to such a smooth passage. And now that we’ve had a moment to catch our collective breaths, we ready ourselves for France and our arrival into St. Malo late tomorrow evening. Between now and then, who knows what other surprises might await as we continue our journey?
Whew! After a whirlwind start to our voyage spanning two continents and eons of history we finally had a moment to stop and reflect upon some of what we’ve seen over the past few days. It’s been a remarkable voyage thus far with surprises aplenty. From extra time in Morocco to champagne in La Coruna, we seemed to have made the most of every opportunity along the way up from northern Africa and into Western Europe. So today, we patted ourselves on the back a bit and had a chance to take in a somewhat leisurely day at sea. I say somewhat because even though no landings or ports of call marked our schedule for the day, we still had plenty of options on board with which to challenge our minds and indulge our bodies.
The expedition team furthered our knowledge of the areas we’ve been sailing by presenting a few geologic and historical tidbits that managed to bridge the gap between Africa and Europe; thusly demonstrating just how interlinked these two regions have been throughout history and even pre-history. Our guest lecturer, Peter, began what will be a two-part introduction to Lord Nelson and his role in the more recent aspects of this region’s past, and did so in authentic garb for a rather effective visual aid.
It wasn’t all presentations and scholarly conversation, however; for we also indulged in our first “official” wine-tasting of the voyage. (Though, truth be told, we’ve been enjoying the wines Steve and Sharon have provided throughout the journey.) Still, our knowledge and appreciation for the wines of this region were certainly enhanced by their introduction and discussion.
Throughout the day in into the night, we sailed on, northward through the Bay of Biscay. We hoped for wildlife and in fact saw a few sea birds, but the seas in this part can often be tempestuous so we weren’t dismayed at so few sightings when we were being treated to such a smooth passage. And now that we’ve had a moment to catch our collective breaths, we ready ourselves for France and our arrival into St. Malo late tomorrow evening. Between now and then, who knows what other surprises might await as we continue our journey?
