Last June I had the opportunity to co-manage a tour program for three US universities aboard the beautiful Sea Cloud II, sailing the shores of Spain and Portugal from Málaga to Bilbao. The various places we visited along the way were memorable, but the ship itself was an unforgettable experience. I’ve been on many cruises on a variety of ships, but there was something special about traveling aboard this three-masted windjammer, especially on the days when the crew set the sails and let the wind carry us along, the old-fashioned way.
On our last full day aboard, the weather couldn’t have been better for a day of sailing. Although we were in the Bay of Biscay, where the seas are notoriously rough, the water was calm and smooth – so calm that the crew decided to launch the ship’s Zodiacs to take passengers out in small groups for views of the Sea Cloud II under full sail. It was an impressive sight. Adding to the beauty of the day was the distant outline of the Picos de Europa, a mountain range located along Spain’s northern coast. Between the snow-capped mountains, the sky, the sea, and the sails, blue and white were definitely the colors of the day!
