06/10/2026
Since I havenāt done a post in a few days, this one covers both Nassau and our second day at Ocean Cay.
When we pulled into Nassau, I immediately noticed we were docked next to a super cool-looking, very large sailing vessel. Upon Googling the name, Dar MÅodzieży, I found that it is a Polish sail training vessel and is currently part of Gdynia Maritime University. GMU is one of the biggest centres of maritime higher education in the EU and the worldāa university with rich maritime traditions.
This is probably super boring for many of you, but if you know me, you know Iām a total maritime geek. So here goesā¦
The story of Dar MÅodzieżyās first weeks at sea is far from ordinary. During its first voyage, the ship left port in Gdynia on 10 July 1982 and headed for the port of Rostock, before arriving at the British port of Falmouth for the start of the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Races. On 27 July, the crew of Dar was involved in the rescue and transport of a sailor from the German yacht Peter Von Danzig, who sustained extreme burns following the explosion of the yachtās on board oven. After the injured sailor was airlifted to hospital, Dar MÅodzieży returned to the race, where after covering 770 nautical miles, it took part in an exciting race to the finish on 29 July. The debuting ship finished in first place in Class A, beating its nearest rival, Gorch Fock, by 14 minutes and 18 seconds.
And, on 16 April 2026 at 14:00 hours, the Dar MÅodzieży set off from the port in Gdynia on a voyage to the USA. Gdynia Maritime Universityās sail training ship will take part in Sail 250 ā maritime celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. Okay, maritime history lesson over. There will be a short quiz later. The passing score is 100%, and yes, it counts toward your final grade.
Iāve also included some pictures of the Yacht Club pool areaā¦ which once again serves as proof of why we cruise in the Yacht Club. There were times I think the crew outnumbered the guests. For someone like me who prefers not to be packed into a crowd like a can of sardines, itās pretty much paradise.
There are also some photos from the Yacht Club beach where you can also see there was virtually nobody there. If they could somehow arrange for even fewer people, Iād be interested in hearing the proposal.
Youāll also notice a photo of Kathy and me that proves I did NOT get roasted by the Caribbean sun this trip. Sunscreen before the pool. Sunscreen before the beach. Reapplied regularly. Basically, I treated sunscreen like it was my full-time job. Itās literally the only thing Iāve done consistently on this trip. I know I still look red compared to Kathy, but thatās just how I tan. Kathy turns a beautiful deep bronze. I look like a lobster thatās making steady progress.
Speaking of color, Iāve included more photos of my favorite colorsāthe incredible blues of the Caribbean water. Every shade from turquoise to deep sapphire. No matter how many times we come here, those colors never get old.
Another amazing week in paradise. Great ship, fantastic YC staff, great weather, beautiful water, and no sunburn emergencies, bitings or animal attacks to announce. Iād call that a successful cruise and we still have another day and a half!
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