GIBRALTAR

... You Know What That Means.... I've Successfully Completed My First Atlantic Crossing! 

Feeling land beneath your feet for the first time in twelve days is a big deal. If you've ever been on a cruise you probably know the feeling to some extent. Arriving in Gibraltar on Tuesday marked another exciting first as well : Completing my first Atlantic crossing! Obviously a good reason to step onto some land and celebrate, wouldn't you say? 

Here's how it went down....

 Of all the nights at sea, night twelve was by far the worst. I'm not exactly sure why the sea decided it would be so friendly up until that point and then unleash its fury... but it did just that and oh did we feel it! Broken Glass, Spilled Drinks and Knocked Over Potted Plants are just a part of it. Close your eyes and imagine being placed inside of a washing machine in the middle of its spin cycle. Now try to sleep. I would honestly be surprised if anyone got any sleep at all....

With the excitement of being on land, I for one quickly got over feeling sorry for myself and was ready to see Gibraltar. We tied up at the fuel dock and continued to get some work done for the next few hours while we refueled. My initial impression of Gibraltar wasn't the greatest, however I was still very much looking forward to getting off the boat and into society. Once fueling was complete, we moved to a dock space in Marina Bay in the Bay of Gibraltar. My impression of the country immediately changed upon arriving at our new destination. I had just assumed that the entirety of the place was as commercial and dirty as I had seen at the fueling docks. It was comforting to know just around the way was a very cute, and pretty happening spot. 

This is a picture I took from the Top of the Rock looking down on Huntress. She is the large white boat near the center of the photo. The runway for the airport is on the right. Gibraltars airport is the fifth most dangerous in the world to fly into and is often closed because of wind conditions and the inability to land.

We ended up spending two nights in Gibraltar, instead of the intended two due to weather conditions out at sea. The unpredictability of the yachting industry is something I have since learned to accept , and in this case, welcome with open arms. Being in Gibraltar an extra day gave me the opportunity to learn more about the country and do some sight-seeing! 

On a normal day, looking to the right of this light house, one can see Africa across the straight. Because it was so foggy, the view wasn't as spectacular as I would imagine it can be, but I did get to see Africa the previous day, as well as, from the sea. 

St. Michaels Cave was my favorite place to visit. The stalactites and stalagmites are formed by dissolved rock deposited by water from above. Fun Fact: there is a stadium like seating area set inside the caves for
concerts.

One of my favorite things about my job is meeting new friends. Meet my new Barbary Macaques Monkey friends!

   All in all, Gibraltar was a wonderful start to a highly anticipated summer. Next stop, Montenegro! In a mere four and a half days, we will be pulling into Porto Montenegro. In the meantime, Come Away With Me on my first travels through the Mediterranean sea. I've already seen many pods of dolphins, who knows what else is in store for us :)