Come Sail With Me: A Different Kind of Cruise

It’s been an exciting year of Live Voyage Reports here on From the Deck Chair, so why stop now? At the end of the month, I will be embarking on a brand-new adventure, just an hour from my homebase in Vancouver, Canada: a four-night Wine Cruise through the San Juan Islands from Bellingham, Washington aboard the Schooner Zodiac.

The Schooner Zodiac was built in 1924 and now sails the Pacific Northwest. Photo courtesy of Annette Bagley.

Between sailing through the magnificent San Juan Islands just off of Washington State and British Columbia, guests will have the ability to come ashore each day to tour vineyards and experience tastings at local wineries, in addition to ambling through some of the quaint seaside towns that line these islands.

But this isn’t your average cruise: the Zodiac is a working schooner, and guests are invited to participate in the actual sailing of the vessel: hauling sail, standing watch, learning about the ship’s navigation in the chart room, and even taking control of the helm.

Built in 1924 and lovingly restored to her original splendour, the Zodiac measures 127 feet long stem to stern, with a sparred length of 160 feet. Her 16 foot draft is as deep as many modern cruise ships measuring more than four times her size, and she can cut through the water at an impressive top speed of 13.4 knots. Her sails rise to a height of 127 feet, commanding attention wherever they go.

Here’s where things get fun: the Zodiac can accommodate 26 guests, the majority of which sleep in common bunks located in the ship’s Lounge. These bunks are like the ones that would be typically found on sailing ships of the day, positioned along the hull of the ship. The last cruise ship stateroom I stayed in was over 400 square feet and included a marble bathroom, yet I can’t help but feel a bit excited at the prospect of this new experience, because it is part-and-parcel of the overall magic of sailing on this historic vessel.

Our four-day cruise will wind its way through the San Juan Islands, off the coast of Washington State. Photo courtesy of Annette Bagley

Guests are encouraged to leave electronic devices like laptops at home in order to fully enjoy the thrill of being at sea, and I plan to do likewise, trading in my laptop and word processor for an old-fashioned journal and pen. Each evening, I’ll write down my experiences that day just as I would with any one of my Live Voyage Reports, and I will transcribe and add photographs to the report upon my return to dry land. So although this report won’t quite be “live”, it will still take up four days of coverage the following week – as if it were happening right then and there.

Except for an iPod and my digital camera, I’ll be leaving my electronics at home.

Personally, I’m looking forward to jotting my thoughts down in my little bunk by the light of the reading lamp, with the curtain shut as the schooner gently sways with the ocean currents.

There’s something delightfully old-world about it – but then, isn’t that the draw of this entire voyage?

Our trip report from onboard the Schooner Zodiac will run July 3 to July 6, 2012 right here on From the Deck Chair, so stay tuned!