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Day at sea – to St. Barts

Dec 8, 2018 – Day at sea – Dominican Republic to Saint-Barthélemy

2018 Caribbean Sail Cruise

A day at sea between ports, passing by Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands

I sleep in yet again this morning to 8:45AM, but it doesn’t matter since today is a sea day. After getting cleaned up a bit, I wander down to the dining room for breakfast: ordering a cappuccino to start, have some fruit, yogurt, pastries and a pancake.

The captain gives an interesting presentation this morning titled “Everything”, which covers the questions posed to him from passengers over the last few days: sailing ship configurations, navigation and GPS, and the physics of how to sail ships with sails. Amazingly, he has written a PhD on using Super-cavitation for fast underwater propulsion – a subject I knew nothing about!

Our course is 090 due east with a stiff wind on our nose, so no sails are set today. We pass by Puerto Rico this afternoon, so I turn off my cellular data roaming, since I don’t have a roaming plan for the US, only for the other Caribbean islands.

Lunch is served on deck from the Tropical Bar. It was quite a spread…it took the staff an hour to haul everything up from the kitchen to serve to us. They work hard, and for long hours! My cabin steward tells me he gets some time off in the afternoon.

I attend a presentation given by a passenger this afternoon which profiles his working life aboard the Union Castle Line on the Royal Mail route between London and South Africa. It was somewhat interesting to see glimpses of life at sea in the 1950s and 60s for the passengers.

The wind is strong and it’s also hot outside this afternoon, so I stay in the Piano Bar working on my journal and photos while sipping a cappuccino. Later in the afternoon the clouds come in, making it more pleasant outside as the sun sets.

I join a table for eight for dinner this evening: five from the UK and two from Canada (Sidney, BC, but former Brits). I have a bunch of Internet time to use, so this evening I work on my photos and manage to post a new album to Facebook.

Royal Clipper
39 photos
The Royal Clipper at the Montego Bay dock
The Royal Clipper at the Montego Bay dock
The stern wheel, booms and masts
The stern wheel, booms and masts
Unfurling one of the four staysails
Unfurling one of the four staysails
Celebrating the departure with champagne
Celebrating the departure with champagne
Atrium Piano bar
Atrium Piano bar
The piano at the top of the multi-level atrium and the restaurant at the bottom
The piano at the top of the multi-level atrium and the restaurant at the bottom
Crew working the lines and staysail
Crew working the lines and staysail
Officer and crew on the stern as the ship leaves port
Officer and crew on the stern as the ship leaves port
Crew working the main console to rig the ship for full sail
Crew working the main console to rig the ship for full sail
Crew rigging the ship for full sail
Crew rigging the ship for full sail
The ship rigged for full sail
The ship rigged for full sail
Passengers climbing the rigging
Passengers climbing the rigging
Looking astern from the crows nest
Looking astern from the crows nest
Looking forward from the crows nest
Looking forward from the crows nest
Joe in the crows nest
Joe in the crows nest
People on the bow net
People on the bow net
Sun glinting off the bow wave
Sun glinting off the bow wave
Sunset over the Caribbean framed by the stern wheel
Sunset over the Caribbean framed by the stern wheel
Lines & jib on the bow
Lines & jib on the bow
Captain Sergey Tunikov and pilot manouver the Royal Clipper into the dock
Captain Sergey Tunikov and pilot manouver the Royal Clipper into the dock
Sunset lighting the Royal Clipper's sails as she leaves the harbour
Sunset lighting the Royal Clipper’s sails as she leaves the harbour
Sunset lighting the Royal Clipper's sails as she leaves the harb
Sunset lighting the Royal Clipper’s sails as she leaves the harb
Sunset lighting the Royal Clipper's sails as she leaves the harb
Sunset lighting the Royal Clipper’s sails as she leaves the harb
Sunset from the stern as the Royal Clipper leave the harbour
Sunset from the stern as the Royal Clipper leave the harbour
Captain Sergey Tunikov talking about how to sail a ship
Captain Sergey Tunikov talking about how to sail a ship
My cabin #207- panoramic
My cabin #207- panoramic
My cabin #207- panoramic
My cabin #207- panoramic
The foredeck of the Royal Clipper and Gustavia harbour
The foredeck of the Royal Clipper and Gustavia harbour
Marina deployed from the Royal Clipper
Marina deployed from the Royal Clipper
Passengers hoisting the sails with the Cruise Director urging them on
Passengers hoisting the sails with the Cruise Director urging them on
The helmsman on the wheel as Captain Sergey Tunikov directs from the bridge
The helmsman on the wheel as Captain Sergey Tunikov directs from the bridge
Royal Clipper leaving the harbour at sunset
Royal Clipper leaving the harbour at sunset
Crewman mending the sails with a sewing machine
Crewman mending the sails with a sewing machine
Crewman mending the sails with a sewing machine
Crewman mending the sails with a sewing machine
The Royal Clipper weighing anchor & under sail as she departs Soufriere at sunset
The Royal Clipper weighing anchor & under sail as she departs Soufriere at sunset
Crew standing on the bow sprit of the Royal Clipper under sail as she departs Soufriere at sunset
Crew standing on the bow sprit of the Royal Clipper under sail as she departs Soufriere at sunset
The crew on the bow sprit as the Royal Clipper departing at sunset under full sale with Gros Piton behind
The crew on the bow sprit as the Royal Clipper departing at sunset under full sale with Gros Piton behind
Chef Glenn carving the roast suckling pig for lunch
Chef Glenn carving the roast suckling pig for lunch
The Royal Clipper masts lit at sunset while at anchor in the harbour
The Royal Clipper masts lit at sunset while at anchor in the harbour

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