"Windjammer" cruises?

[Gene Neill]

Has anyone ever done one of these? The old "Windjammer Barefoot" cruise company is defunct now, but the Admiral has booked us on this one http://www.libertyfleet.com/windjammer-cruises/sailing-ships/liberty-clipper for my 50th birthday. The itinerary is Nassau-Exumas-Eleuthera, December 17th - 23rd.

 

[jssailem]

Never traveled this way, but it looks like you are in for a lot of fun...
Bet you come back and will be trading the AlbinVega in and trading up...

 

[ggrizzard]

I went on 6 of the original, Mike Burke "Barefoot" cruises, and 2 of the "We took over one of his boats" Windjammers in the windward islands. I've only read about the ship you're going on. Since it sails out of Boston in the summer, I assume it might be safer than the two above.
You should have a great time.

 

[Kings Gambit]

Did a 7-day windjammer cruise out of Camden, ME on the schooner Mary Day (125 ft) some years ago. Although it was near July 4, there was still some cold weather and some rain about Penobscot Bay that week. Those windjammers are smooooth sailing yachts. It was fun, but we made up 4 couples in our group; it's good to go with folks you know.

 

[Gene Neill]

Bet you come back and will be trading the AlbinVega in and trading up...

Hah! Not unless I find some Spanish gold scattered on the beach somewhere. I had NO luck with that $750 million dollar Powerball this week.

Our five-year wedding anniversary will be right in the middle of the cruise. Wife is wondering if the captain would do a light-hearted, five-minute ceremony to renew our vows. Perhaps while speaking in pirate lingo?

Mostly, I'm just hoping for decent weather. I'm somewhat acquainted with northers that time of year, and I'd hate to spend the week shivering in foulies. But then again ... I did pony up for the "unlimited booze" deal.

 

[jssailem]

Sounds like fn will be the order of the trip... If such events do occur (and I hope for you they do) you will be required to have pictures and videos.... when you return.

 

[Kings Gambit]

The Mary Day had a wood-burning stove for cooking, and a pot belly one for warmth in the galley area. The cook made fresh bread daily. Warm clothing was definitely needed on deck. The crew would put up a fly over the deck areas every evening after anchoring which helped keep the rain off of us those days it rained. Guests were given the chance to steer the boat under sail, as well as to heave-ho the halyards, etc. Crew deployed peapods so guests could row about the areas anchored. Very nice. Maybe practice a couple of halyard shanties. Sounds like Whisky Johnnie for you!

 

[jssailem]

I had to discover this shanty.... Here is a rendition that is not like the old shanty, but it is a lively presentation and many of the lyrics are the same/similar.

 

[jssailem]

Here is the old packet ships version.
http://www.contemplator.com/sea/whiskyjon.html

 

[BigEasy]

Gene, We did a cruise on the Windjammer flagship, Fantome, about 30 years ago. Visited Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat,
and Isle de Saints as well as English Harbor. Great ports of call that were not overrun with the mega ships. It was one week of non stop partying and one hell of a good time! She was a grand lady.
Just a historical note; Fantome was lost in the Gulf of Honduras in hurricane Mitch, a Cat 5 storm in October '98, that was beyond prediction. Mitch tracked south instead of the usual north east or north west tracks and slammed directly into Fantome as she tried to seek refuge behind the bay islands. Captain Guyan March and 31 crew members were lost at sea. A few life jackets and a pieces of the wooden rails were all that was recovered.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I sailed on Liberty Clipper in the '90s not long after she was purchased from the Mystic Seaport Museum and rehabbed...she was a customer of ours. They'd brought her to the Annapolis sail show and then participated in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. You'll love being aboard! Read the Trip Advisor reviews for first hand accounts of what to expect..they're all from verified people who've cruised on her.

 

[Gene Neill]

Gene, We did a cruise on the Windjammer flagship, Fantome, about 30 years ago. Visited Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat,
and Isle de Saints as well as English Harbor. Great ports of call that were not overrun with the mega ships. It was one week of non stop partying and one hell of a good time! She was a grand lady.
Just a historical note; Fantome was lost in the Gulf of Honduras in hurricane Mitch, a Cat 5 storm in October '98, that was beyond prediction. Mitch tracked south instead of the usual north east or north west tracks and slammed directly into Fantome as she tried to seek refuge behind the bay islands. Captain Guyan March and 31 crew members were lost at sea. A few life jackets and a pieces of the wooden rails were all that was recovered.

Wow ... I just now read the awful story of the Fantome. It sounds like the captain did everything right, everything he possibly could have done ... but the storm just kept pursuing him, tracking him like a hound. There is even a book about it, called "The Ship and The Storm".

 

[BigEasy]

Gene,
Naturally I had great interest in the Fantome catastrophe since we sailed on her. I read the book also and researched information on the net. Guyan March was a deck officer at age 23 on our cruise in 1989. He had been captain of the Fantome for a couple years and was 32 when the ship went down in October 98.. Captain March and the owners of Windjammer agreed to off loaded passengers and decided to put out to sea instead of keeping the ship in port at Belize City. I am certainly not second guessing the decisions made; however, one thing that I have learned after being directly involved and evacuating for hurricanes is that they are unpredictable. Even with all of the technology that we have available now, weather systems breakdown unpredictably that ultimately affect the path of storms. In the case of the Fantome, it seemed that every decision that was made to evade the storm, the storm altered course unpredictably. In effect, the Fantome got trapped with no way out. After the loss of Fantome, numerous law suits were filed on behalf of the perished crew. The Windjammer organization never recovered financially nor psychologically. Of course, Windjammer's founder and CEO, Mike Burke, was severely criticized for allowing the ship to put to sea. Same scenario as the Bounty loss, however, in much more dire conditions. After struggling for a few years after the Fantome went down, Windjammer declared bankruptcy and never became operational again. After Hurricane Mitch destroyed the Gulf Islands and the Honduras mainland, it reversed course again, crossed Florida and went up the East Coast and out into the Atlantic. Nearly 11,000 victims died in Honduras & Nicaragua due to flooding & mudslides and nearly 11,000 people went missing. Mitch was the second deadliest storm in Atlantic hurricane history. I am not sure if "The ship and the Storm" is still available; it is a good read.

 

[Leeward Rail]

Sorry yo bring up an old thread, but I just found this when looking for @Gene Neill cockpit drain thread

How did your trip go ?

I was on a few Barefoot Cruises, and knew many of the crew. Some better than others.
I'm still feel sad when I listen to a CD that was quietly playing at the empty bar at the stern, while "Brasso" Frederick let me take Fantome's helm, late at night, for a couple hours. He was a quick holler away, in the cabin right in front of the wheel, and he would disappear, leaving me on deck alone. One of the best times of my life, and it still makes me want to tear up thinking of what He and Guyan, and the rest of Fantome's crew went though.

Then I think about how the rest of Barefoot's crews were treated when they went bankrupt to stupidity and I'm angry.

Frigging Frigging Frigging Frigging amazing crews, amazing trips.

A couple attempts were made to revive the concept, of save some of the fleet, or... or..

The former "Barefoot Cruises" ship "Mandalay" was purchased with former Barefoot customers, and she now sails for Windjammer Sailing Adventures.
http://www.sailwindjammer.com/

The Polynesia was towed back to Portugal, given her original name (Argus) and is to be a training ship.

I believe the rest ended up as scrap metal.

Neil actually sailed a former Galapagos sailing ship, the "Diamate" to the eastern US for that purpose,under the name of "Windjammer Adventures Cruises" but the company fell apart. (the ship is now part of "Island Windjammers")

I've considered taking one if the Maine Windjammer Assoc. trips. They are basic, and you get involved in sailing on many of their fleet.

FWIW I've never been a conventional cruise ship... never will. Those Barefoot cruises are about as "Foo Foo" as I get.

Any photos of your trip ?

Edit: P.S. @BigEasy @ggrizzard glad to "see" former jammers here.

 

[Gene Neill]

How did your trip go ?

Hmmmm .... how to put this? It was ... a mixed bag.

The captain and crew were great. I can't stress that enough. The food was great, and the weather was absolutely phenomenal. We got really lucky in that area. Like you, I spent a couple hours in ecstasy at the helm one night, steering the Liberty Clipper in some of the most amazing conditions I have ever experienced. Man, what a beautiful night.

What limited the good time was the other passengers. I'll spare you the gory details, and just say they weren't much fun. At all. And not a sailor among 'em.

Of course, not being one to let other people get me down, I heroically tore into that unlimited booze deal like I had a brand-new liver waiting for me on ice back at the dock. Which helped a lot. And thank God, my wife is my best friend, so we had each other's company to keep us sane. We hung out with the captain and crew for the most part, and took off alone together whenever we went ashore.

So all in all ... while it was fun and everything, I still kinda wish we had just taken Daydream out for the week, and saved the $5K. Not to mention the wear and tear on my already overworked liver.

 

[Leeward Rail]

Of course, not being one to let other people get me down, I heroically tore into that unlimited booze deal like I had a brand-new liver waiting for me on ice back at the dock. Which helped a lot. And thank God, my wife is my best friend, so we had each other's company to keep us sane. We hung out with the captain and crew for the most part, and took off alone together whenever we went ashore.

How many passengers did you have with you ?

Barefoot cruises passengers seemed a great group overall. Maybe it was due to the low price and limited knowledge of their existence at the time. People from all walks of life. Most were chilled out, and loved anything to do with tallships. Many, but not all, had their own sailboats

There was one major idiot when we did our 1st trip. I kept asking my wife if I could stage some MOB training but she sadly declined.

Post Photos !

 

[jssailem]

she sadly declined.

Perhaps Lee that should be “Wisely Declined!”

 

[Gene Neill]

How many passengers did you have with you ?

Post Photos !

24 passengers including ourselves.

I was very remiss at taking pics, I'm afraid. Just check out the website's gallery and pretend I'm in them.

Shot this one from the ship's dinghy:

Goofing with a couple of the crew (there's a triumphant story behind that hat I'm pointing to):

That's my wife, sitting on the platform at the top of the ratlines. This was the "high point" of the cruise for her:

Just our happy mugs:

 

[jssailem]

 

[Leeward Rail]

Awesome ! Not sure I'd handle climbing up the rigging that high. I'd give the old college try, but anything involving heights are the admiral's job normally. LOL

I was very remiss at taking pics, I'm afraid

Normal for us. We are usually having too much fun to bother with a camera, and only think of it at the end of a trip.