Our last full day together on Sea Cloud was spent cruising the serene blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We had brief visits from some charismatic breaching dolphins. While the sun was blazing and the air was humid, our expedition leader and captain decided this weather begged for a cool down. Captain Svendsen and Bay Watch patrol Simon Kwinta guided guests off the gangway ladder into the refreshing saltwater pool created for them just off the portside of Sea Cloud. It was a perfect day of relaxation in between packing and prepping for the day of travel to follow. Our time together on board closed with a hazy pastel sunset on the Amalfi coastline while we navigated our way back to Naples.
Courtney’s story is a little different than most of the Midwest kids she grew up with. Rather than settle down in her hometown of St. Charles, Illinois, she set out to make an adventurous life all her own starting in St. Augustine, Florida. It was th...
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We arrived in the archipelago of the Aeolian Isles about 6:00 a.m. The sun was just coming up over these volcanic, craggy mountains. In Homer’s Odyssey, he refers to these isles as the “Isles of the Wind.” They can be very windy, but today we were lucky as there was virtually no wind, the sea was flat with hardly a ripple. These rather isolated and barren windswept islands have become very popular in the past twenty years with the “jet set.” Some of you may remember the wonderfully charming film Il Postino about the exile in these islands of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Traditionally, the islanders made a living from the sea as fishermen. Today, while they still fish, tourism has helped considerably. Although they appear far off the beaten path to us in antiquity, they were very busy places and traded their goods, particularly obsidian (volcanic glass) all over the Mediterranean. We saw evidence of this trade as far southeast as the Stone Age temples “Ggintjia” on the island of Gozo in the Malta archipelago. I gave an informative, illustrated talk on the geology of the Mediterranean this morning. After the talk, at 10:30 A.M., we had a swim in these fabulous waters. The water was crystal clear, warm, and the high salt content made it virtually unnecessary to move. You just bobbed up and down. I didn’t count how many were in the water, but it appeared most of us took advantage of this chance to swim right off Sea Cloud . The swim was restorative and perfect. After lunch, we visited the largest island in the archipelago, the isle of Lipari. The sun was warm as we boarded Zodiacs and the tender for the short ride to the shore. There we boarded our coaches for the scenic drive around this very mountainous island of Lipari. Capers seem to thrive here, and I noticed many growing from crevices in the rock walls. The scenery was very dramatic, and we could see the other adjoining islands quite easily. The local museum holds a great surprise, as it has what I believe may be the greatest concentration of ancient Greek ceramics in any museum. Of course, I use the word “surprise” because we moderns tend to see Lipari now as an isolated and hard to reach place, but in antiquity, there was a lively exchange of goods from across the Mediterranean. The pottery collection is superb. Both red and black figure pots were displayed in all their varying shapes. Imagine – some of these vessels were in mint condition, and they are 2500 years old. While the Greeks used these pots for practical purposes, they invariably decorated them with stories from their history and mythology. One can see the feats of Hercules, Zeus, and the other Olympic Gods, stories from the Iliad and the Odyssey, and even inscriptions on the pots. The symmetry of the pots denotes bespoke craftspeople of great ability. We made a short visit to the church and viewed some of the ancient ruins. The last Zodiac back to Sea Cloud was at 6:00 and it seemed some people were waiting until the last call. I cannot blame them as it is an enchanting place. Dinner was as spectacular as always. I am always amazed at the high quality of the food given that it is prepared in a small galley and has to be brought up at least three decks when we eat on the Lido. The chefs and the service staff are incomparable. After dinner, we all waited along the starboard and bow for the volcano Stromboli to come to life. It did not disappoint and exploded at least three times. Flames shot up high above the crater, and as it was quite dark, it was spectacular.
Sea Cloud set the hook in calm, serene blue waters just off the coast of Giardini Naxos this morning. The ship’s crew organized our shuttle arrangements of a single tender and Zodiac to take us to shore. Our rides to land were accompanied by silky-smooth seas and glittering reflections from the clear bright sky above. Taormina local guides greeted us at the dock where we boarded two coach buses for a brief and scenic drive to Taormina. Curious eyes gazed out the windows, taking in spectacular views of Mt. Etna in the distance clouded by smoke at its peak. We wandered along the luscious, turquoise blue coastline and weaved through the narrow streets of Sicily that were intertwined with flowers, bursting with vibrant pinks and purples as well. Eager to explore and begin our day, we followed our guide into the beautiful architectural mix of buildings that line Taormina’s main pedestrian (and motor vehicle) street, Corso Umberto I. Fashion, food, and art caught the attention of everyone. Store windows included items patterned with Taormina culture—for example, prickly pear cactus, the Sicilian flag symbol, lemons, and pinecones. These items are commonly seen throughout the streets in various forms of art. Pinecone statues were especially noted outside some buildings, as our guide told us they are a Sicilian “symbol of wellness.” Beyond the bustling street of Corso Umberto I was the grand theatre—the Teatro Antico di Taormina, or the Ancient Theatre of Taormina. The amphitheater boasts breathtaking views of Mt. Etna and the Bay of Naxos. Guests took photos of ruins, explored Roman history, and suggested we come back for a concert experience of our own. After the tour, there was some time for supporting local businesses and vendors in Taormina, and soon after we made it to our lunch destination— Castello degli Schiavi. As we began to enter the courtyard of Castello degli Schiavi, all of us sensed something familiar about the place, something almost cinematic— The Godfather ! Our lunch was in fact hosted on site of the 18th century villa used for several scenes in The Godfather ! How cool is that?! Champagne and hors d’oeuvres were enjoyed in the legendary courtyard with traditional Italian accordion, flute, and tambourine musicians playing alongside. Then we were brought inside a stone building to a small watch party, where we viewed some scenes from The Godfather that were shot onsite. After a brief tour of artifacts and the intricate history of Castello degli Schiavi, our traditional four-course Italian meal awaited us in a medieval-esque cellar. Wine was sipped, food was eaten, and more wine was sipped as we filled ourselves full of “chef’s kiss” Italia cuisine. Siesta time was much needed for all of us afterwards. Thankfully, our bus venture back to Sea Cloud was an hour’s drive to Messina, where the ship had relocated to a dock for our convenience. We cast off the dock and began our golden hour passage through the legendary Straits of Messina. Our sendoff wouldn’t have been complete without the special accompaniment of a large pod of dolphins. We gathered on the outside decks to inhale the beauty of nature while we took in our last sights of Sicily. While we all sat and enjoyed more food at dinner, the sun began to set in the background. As it sank on the bright orange horizon line, it emitted a subtle green flash, as if signaling to us that the daylit portion of our fabulous time ashore was ending. However, the night was a welcome invitation for sea shanties. The crew led us in numerous shanties—even getting all of us to join in at one point or another. The day was packed with new experiences and special moments that brought us closer together. Although we’re nearing the end of this special voyage, we know that we come nowhere near ending the friendships created during our memorable adventures together.
