Anguilla & South to St. Kitts
It is said that an essential to travel is flexibility. This was a rare tempestuous day in the winter Caribbean that caused us to test our pliability and ingenuity.
During the night on our cruise northward from Antigua to Anguilla, both seas and winds began to steadily rise. Although morning found us off the southern shore of Anguilla with its beckoning white coral beaches, the winds had not abated. All of the beaches were awash and even the leeward shoreline offered no respite from either swells or Force 7 winds. So, making the best of a bad situation, we turned southward with the winds, hoisted storm sails, and set off for a safe harbor in St. Kitts.
Our capable Expedition Leader Tom O’Brien was prescient when he included the following quote from Jerome K. Jerome’s classic, “Three Men in a Boat”:
“But who wants to be foretold the weather? It is bad enough when it comes, without our having the misery of knowing about it before hand.”
Our capable crew took to the rigging as if nothing were amiss. Magnificent frigate birds and Brown boobies glided just off the mastheads and spars as if they were parts of the ship. It was easy to imagine them as special ornaments for Christmas Eve or guardians to see us to calmer seas. It was a breath-taking sight to watch Sea Cloud II’s sails snap full of wind and leap gracefully before the wind. In these moments she is a superb sailing vessel, spirited by strong winds and a confident crew, doing what she is meant to do.
Taking advantage of the sudden luxury of free time, many unpacked books or attended one of two lectures given by our Lindblad Expeditions experts. In the morning Roger Luckenbach enlightened us with the curious biological and cultural history of pearls. In the afternoon, our anthropologist/historian discussed sugar and the history of slavery and its impacts on World History.
Lest we forget the day, carols were sung by crew and guests alike, accompanied by our skilled pianist Gaynor. The festive evening was topped by a six course Gala Dinner that had a profound soporific effect.
And to all a good night.
It is said that an essential to travel is flexibility. This was a rare tempestuous day in the winter Caribbean that caused us to test our pliability and ingenuity.
During the night on our cruise northward from Antigua to Anguilla, both seas and winds began to steadily rise. Although morning found us off the southern shore of Anguilla with its beckoning white coral beaches, the winds had not abated. All of the beaches were awash and even the leeward shoreline offered no respite from either swells or Force 7 winds. So, making the best of a bad situation, we turned southward with the winds, hoisted storm sails, and set off for a safe harbor in St. Kitts.
Our capable Expedition Leader Tom O’Brien was prescient when he included the following quote from Jerome K. Jerome’s classic, “Three Men in a Boat”:
“But who wants to be foretold the weather? It is bad enough when it comes, without our having the misery of knowing about it before hand.”
Our capable crew took to the rigging as if nothing were amiss. Magnificent frigate birds and Brown boobies glided just off the mastheads and spars as if they were parts of the ship. It was easy to imagine them as special ornaments for Christmas Eve or guardians to see us to calmer seas. It was a breath-taking sight to watch Sea Cloud II’s sails snap full of wind and leap gracefully before the wind. In these moments she is a superb sailing vessel, spirited by strong winds and a confident crew, doing what she is meant to do.
Taking advantage of the sudden luxury of free time, many unpacked books or attended one of two lectures given by our Lindblad Expeditions experts. In the morning Roger Luckenbach enlightened us with the curious biological and cultural history of pearls. In the afternoon, our anthropologist/historian discussed sugar and the history of slavery and its impacts on World History.
Lest we forget the day, carols were sung by crew and guests alike, accompanied by our skilled pianist Gaynor. The festive evening was topped by a six course Gala Dinner that had a profound soporific effect.
And to all a good night.
