At Sea, Making Way from Barbados to Dominica
After boarding in Barbados, we headed NW crossing a stretch of open seas towards the Windward Islands. Intermittent rain squalls could not dampen our excitement to be underway.
The morning rewarded us with the mariner’s blessing of “fair winds and following seas.” To take advantage of the trade winds, we first “braced the yards” and then raised eight of the mainsails (2 royals, 2 topgallants, and 4 topsails), a flying jib and a staysail.
Following the maneuvers of unfurling, clewing, and tacking was like participating in history. Following along with a sail diagram, and expert commentary, we learned the timeless language of sailing, and felt a special thrill as our magnificent barque finally trimmed, dancing before the wind like a cloud at 7 plus knots. “Learning the ropes,” or at least some of them, deepened our understanding and pleasure of square-rigger sailing from practiced and skilled masters of an almost lost art.
Before long we sailed between the famous islands of Martinique and St Lucia, admiring the taut full sails and island silhouettes. Then an unexpected but familiar cry of “thar she blows” was given off the starboard quarter.
A trio of sperm whales, most likely a small bachelor group, rose together over the deep channel. “Getting their spouts out,” they blew repeatedly at the surface just a few meters off and then arched for another bout of serious feeding. They showed distinctive vertical flukes as they slipped quietly into the depths in search of squid.
After mandatory drills, boat orientation, and a stimulating lecture from our cultural historian Olga Stavrakis on the geography of the Caribbean, we fell into our bunks, satisfied both at gaining a feel for our ship and for the fact that we were no longer “new hands on board.”
After boarding in Barbados, we headed NW crossing a stretch of open seas towards the Windward Islands. Intermittent rain squalls could not dampen our excitement to be underway.
The morning rewarded us with the mariner’s blessing of “fair winds and following seas.” To take advantage of the trade winds, we first “braced the yards” and then raised eight of the mainsails (2 royals, 2 topgallants, and 4 topsails), a flying jib and a staysail.
Following the maneuvers of unfurling, clewing, and tacking was like participating in history. Following along with a sail diagram, and expert commentary, we learned the timeless language of sailing, and felt a special thrill as our magnificent barque finally trimmed, dancing before the wind like a cloud at 7 plus knots. “Learning the ropes,” or at least some of them, deepened our understanding and pleasure of square-rigger sailing from practiced and skilled masters of an almost lost art.
Before long we sailed between the famous islands of Martinique and St Lucia, admiring the taut full sails and island silhouettes. Then an unexpected but familiar cry of “thar she blows” was given off the starboard quarter.
A trio of sperm whales, most likely a small bachelor group, rose together over the deep channel. “Getting their spouts out,” they blew repeatedly at the surface just a few meters off and then arched for another bout of serious feeding. They showed distinctive vertical flukes as they slipped quietly into the depths in search of squid.
After mandatory drills, boat orientation, and a stimulating lecture from our cultural historian Olga Stavrakis on the geography of the Caribbean, we fell into our bunks, satisfied both at gaining a feel for our ship and for the fact that we were no longer “new hands on board.”
