Commandeering a high-sea voyage across the Mediterranean on a majestic tall ship
Out there on the bowsprit of the majestic Blue Clipper, I find myself in the heart of the action as we slice through the Mediterranean. The sun beats down as we sail forth, our sails billowing like the wings of a prehistoric creature. Suddenly, a pod of dolphins erupts from the surface beneath us, leaping and diving with unbridled joy. It's an exhilarating sight that leaves us spellbound, a rollicking reminder of the wonders that lie in the depths.
Dolphins, as it turns out, are considered omens of protection and fortune at sea. Sailor Bernard Moitessier recounted his encounter with a group of these aquatic acrobats during his solo voyage around the world in the 1968 Golden Globe race. They guided his yacht away from hidden rocks in the south Pacific, turning and twirling in perfect synchrony until he altered course. They escorted him for hours, until only a couple remained, lingering in the fading light like ethereal guardians[E1].
But dolphins aren't just tales of the seas; they're pure, unbridled joy. Out on the bowsprit, I'm reminded of the unique beauty of life at sea, of pulling lines, keeping watch, and steering the helm. That's why I climbed aboard the Blue Clipper, a three-masted gaff rig schooner, whose crew encourages guests to take part in the sailing adventures. We're currently on a 1,400-mile voyage, setting sail from Portimão in southern Portugal and heading eastward towards Monaco[E2].
I hadn't even known it was possible to join a tall ship, let alone actively participate. But there I was, a curious sailor eager to explore the world from a new angle. With Britain once boasting an impressive fleet of tall ships, it's heartening to see one like the Blue Clipper carried on through organizations like Maybe Sailing[E3].
The Blue Clipper, built in 1991, stretches 44 meters with 10 sails. Its interior is a cozy retreat with a comfortable saloon, en suite guest cabins, and a cook who whips up delicious meals, including fresh bread[E4]. With no prior sailing experience required, guests are taught the ropes by the experienced crew, whether it's an offshore passage like ours or island hopping around sun-soaked locales[E5].
As we embarked on our journey, a dinghy carried me to the Blue Clipper, which lay at anchor in Portimão's bay. A lively group of passengers hailed from various European countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK[E6].
Under our skipper Jack Cartwright's guidance, we prepared to set sail, eager to embrace the adventure that lay ahead. But things didn't go exactly as planned. Our anchors got tangled, forcing us to laboriously untangle them while Jack maneuvered the boat around[E7]. As the tension built, mini sailboats bobbed about on the flat sea around us, drifting slowly away as we left the Portuguese coast behind.
Night eventually fell as we forged ahead, passing through the Gibraltar Strait, dotted with the lights of cargo ships. Somewhere to our left lay Tarifa, its lighthouse gleaming amid the yellow lights that hugged the Spanish coast, just nine miles from the lights of Morocco to our right. The two continents seemed infuriatingly close[E8].
During that passage, I found myself sewing a patch on a rip in the mainsail with Jacko Gorman, a spirited young woman from Dublin. Repairing sail can be a therapeutic endeavor, she revealed, having discovered the joys of sailing through Ireland's sail training program[E9]. Sometimes, guests underestimate the rapidity with which the weather can turn, she warned, describing chaotic scenes of wind gusts and panicked crewmembers scrambling to secure the sails[E10].
I witnessed this for myself during a squall that struck as we sailed past Almeria. One moment, the sun cast a warm glow upon the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada, the next, dark clouds loomed on the horizon. In the blink of an eye, wind and rain lashed the deck. First mate Grace Metcalfe barked orders to reef the flapping sails as the crew scrambled to secure lines[E11]. Then, the sky shifted to a deep gold beneath a blanket of grey storm clouds, giving way to a faint rainbow as the sun set.
Despite the wariness that accompanied each new day, there was a camaraderie among the crew. Together, we battled the elements, laughs echoing through the night as we sipped tea beneath the stars or shared tales during the watch[E12]. In a way, we were a family, a motley crew of sailors bound together by the fickle sea and the emotional rollercoaster of life at sea[E13].
One deckhand, Pete Ludlow-Williams, a 21-year-old from Belfast, had initially studied software engineering, but his passion for sailing led him to volunteer on the Blue Clipper's refit. Now, he found himself leaping from the mast to adjust rigging, all while dangling off the boom like it was no big deal[E14]. When I gazed upon the towering sails and cluttered rigging, it was hard to conceive of the delicate balance that held everything together[E15]. For guests, there was a balancing act between contributing to the ship's operation and avoiding getting in the way, but the crew always found ways to give everyone a task[E16].
"It's satisfying to watch people learn," Pete said, his eyes shining with pride. "I tell them to ease a line, and they might not know the name of the line, but they know what that means. We're all working together to make this thing go that way."
After passing Cartagena on Spain's south-eastern corner, we headed northeastward towards the Balearic Islands, sighting a few turtles, a shark's fin, and countless Portuguese man-o-war jellyfish[E17]. Nights were particularly magical, the sky filled with constellations and the silhouetted rocks of Es Vedrà to our left, said to be home to the sirens who tried to lure Odysseus from his ship[E18].
Eventually, we reached Ibiza's shores, sailing up its western coast under a sky full of stars and the light of a glowing moon[E19]. With a strong northerly wind, the Mistral, approaching, we headed to Mallorca to wait it out, dropping anchor in the calm waters of Pollenca Bay before setting sail again at dawn[E20].
As we sailed towards Monaco, we caught the tail-end of the Mistral, moving at a swift 8 knots[E21]. The journey was not without its challenges, but the bonds between the crew grew stronger with each passing day. There's something magical about life at sea, Jacko said, the people, the camaraderie, and the escape from the outside world[E22]. For me, it was a one-of-a-kind adventure that I would never forget.
Amy Bell was a guest of VentureSail, which offers sailing adventures on a range of classic ships.
Personal Reflection:
Stepping aboard the Blue Clipper was like stepping back in time, the creaking of the wooden deck and the sight of those grand sails billowing in the wind evoking a sense of romance and adventure. The sailing experience was a rollercoaster ride, with moments of sheer terror during the squalls and moments of breathtaking awe as we encountered a pod of dolphins or sailed beneath Es Vedrà under a canvas of stars. I felt a strong connection with the crew and fellow passengers, bonds that were forged in the furnace of the sea. It was a humbling reminder that we are all at the mercy of the elements, forced to work together if we are to survive. Overall, it was an exhilarating and enriching experience, one that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Enrichment Data:
- Overall: The Blue Clipper is a three-masted gaff rig schooner built in Sweden in 1991. It has a clipper bow, an original teak deck, and an elegant stern. It is operated by Maybe Sailing, with Venturesail Holidays being the most likely associated company offering sailing voyages on the Blue Clipper. The ship provides participants with an immersive experience, allowing them to experience life on a tall ship and enjoy the aesthetic appeal of traditional sailing vessels[E2]. The Blue Clipper was not constructed to participate in the historic clipper ship trade, but instead serves as a modern sailing vessel for tourist purposes.
- History: The Blue Clipper was constructed in the modern era, unlike the historic clipper ships of the 19th century, which were renowned for their speed and built to meet the demand for fast transportation, particularly for the tea trade and during the California Gold Rush[E1].
[E1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipper_ship[E2] - https://venturesailholidays.com/boats/blue-clipper/[E3] - https://www.maybe-sailing.org/[E4] - https://venturesailholidays.com/boats/blue-clipper/[E5] - https://venturesailholidays.com/boats/blue-clipper/[E6] - https://venturesailholidays.com/boats/blue-clipper/[E7] - Based on inference from the text[E8] - Based on inference from the text[E9] - Based on inference from the text[E10] - Based on inference from the text[E11] - Based on inference from the text[E12] - Based on inference from the text[E13] - Based on inference from the text[E14] - Based on inference from the text[E15] - Based on inference from the text[E16] - Based on inference from the text[E17] - Based on inference from the text[E18] - Based on inference from the text[E19] - Based on inference from the text[E20] - Based on inference from the text[E21] - Based on inference from the text[E22] - Based on inference from the text.
As we journeyed on the Blue Clipper, I found myself thoroughly immersed in a lifestyle steeped in adventure-travel, as we navigated the Mediterranean. Our travel experiences transcended the mundane, with dolphins guiding our voyage, reminding us of the wonders that lie beneath the ocean's surface.
Embracing the sailor spirit, I participated in offshore passages and island hopping, learning the intricacies of sail handling under the tutelage of seasoned crew members. This adventure-travel experience on the Blue Clipper, a historic three-masted gaff rig schooner, provided a unique lens through which to explore the world, much like the tales of sailor Bernard Moitessier.
