The Samba
I was working in the library one Tuesday afternoon in July when Matt came to see me with a funny look on his face. The owner of the Samba, a 14-passenger, 78-foot sailboat, had just invited us on an 8-day cruise. The ship was sailing that night. Matt couldn’t go because he was hosting a group of US teachers who were training his teachers, but he urged me to accept the invitation. I waffled – did I want to go alone, would I get seasick on a small boat? – and quickly realized that I was being foolish. It was a wonderful opportunity, I had my own cabin if I did puke the whole time and Matt would get to have our small apartment to himself for a change. We got home from school around 4:30 and by 6 I was packed and waiting on the dock to be taken to the Samba.
What an amazing trip! The crew, my fellow passengers and ship were fantastic. Last year Matt and I were guests on the National Geographic Endeavor, and I didn’t think that experience could be topped. (I blogged about it here: Cruising the Galapagos.) This trip followed essentially the same itinerary and was equally fun and exciting.
There are pros and cons to being on a bigger ship versus a smaller ship. I honestly don’t know which trip I preferred, but on a smaller ship you get to do this:
On the other hand, a smaller boat is rockier and our first night was rough. On a late night trip to the bathroom – all of three steps away from my bed – the ship pitched just as I got through the doorway and I fell sideways, somehow ending up like a beetle on its back in the shower stall. I laid there, stunned, crunched up in the 18 inch square stall and not really awake, trying to figure out if I could actually get up without help. It became clear why our guide, Franklin, had advised us to wear pajamas to bed!
We were up early every morning because our days were chock-full of activities: hiking, snorkeling, kayaking/paddle boarding. The activities were offset by delicious meals and tasty snacks; no dieting on this trip! During downtimes we played cards, Catchphrase and relaxed in the common areas. Franklin taught everyone to play the Ecuadorian card game Cuarenta and the Martin family taught us a group card game. I never felt unwelcome or uncomfortable traveling alone and couldn’t have asked for nicer people. Franklin was an entertaining guide and made getting up early worth our while. He made the mistake of drawing a cute picture on our second schedule and we then insisted he do it every time.
On a trip this active, it is hard to pick the highlights, but swimming with the penguins was one. These tubby torpedoes are unbelievably fast when hunting their dinner.
While most of what we saw and did was not new to me, my excitement was as genuine as my new friends’ excitement. I never tire of watching the birds, iguanas and other animals. While we were busy every day, we were never rushed and could enjoy countless moments in a genuine manner.
Best of the Birds:
My favorites, the iguanas:
Bored with Us!
Under the Sea:
Unexpected Highlight – Wild Dolphin Show! *
Frolicking Dolphins
Dolphins Racing the Boat
Two nights the dolphins treated us to the most fantastic show. I have never seen anything like it, and this spectacle reinforced all I knew about dolphins – their beauty, athleticism, playfulness and intelligence. The captain sailed in large, lazy circles so we could enjoy the show and it felt like the dolphins were performing for us, as though they wanted the attention and to light up our lives. When they first started racing the boat, I asked the crew why and the response was “they are playing with us.” They were. I also loved that the crew was all on deck (well, apart from the ones steering our course) to watch the show and their wonder was genuine too.
This is How Happy the Dolphin Show Made Me
Sailing on the Samba – one of the best gifts I have ever been given!
* Don’t go to a dolphin show. Seriously, don’t. Living here has made me struggle with zoos and aquariums, but I understand that good ones are important to conservation efforts. Dolphin shows are not.
Kerry On! 