Today, we spent the day at sea along the southern coast of Peloponnesus. Our action-packed morning started with a smart phone photography presentation from our photography instructor. Then, the captain found us a nice swimming spot, and guests swam from the boat. Afterwards, our two Greek guides, Effie and Laura, gave an introduction to Greece. We spent the afternoon listening to the captain narrating as sixteen sailors set the sails. We watched as the sailors climbed up and down the masts to unclip the sails before using ropes to release them. Guests were invited to go to the bow to take photos and talk to the sailors. Ice cream was served at afternoon tea followed by our briefing for tomorrow’s activities at Katakalon.
9/23/2024
Read
Sea Cloud
Hvar, Croatia
On the last day of our voyage, we spent the morning on the lovely island of Hvar, known for its fragrant fields of lavender and rosemary. Our walking tour started with the Franciscan monastery, featuring a centuries-old cypress tree and a 17th-century painting of the Last Supper attributed to Matteo Ponzoni. We continued on to tour one of the oldest community theaters in Europe (dating to 1612), the Hvar Arsenal (instrumental in building and repairing Venetian ships), and the town’s stone buildings which often feature the winged lion of St. Mark. This afternoon, after a lunch featuring the famous Sea Cloud pasta wheel, we enjoyed a lecture by cultural specialist Zrinka Šapro on the history of Croatia, focusing on the 20th century. Hearing about the rule of Josip Broz Tito and the wars of the 1990s from someone with personal experience was a particularly fitting conclusion to our tour of this region so rich in history. Our final evening aboard included a cocktail hour and the guest slide show on the lido deck, followed by the captain’s farewell dinner in Sea Cloud’s elegant dining room, after which we bid our travel companions and newfound friends a fond farewell.
