Captain’s Log | SV Florette

Location: Port of Cartagena, Spain

Passage Logged: 833 Nautical Miles | 247 Hours Under Helm

The gangway is down, the lines are made fast, and Florette is resting safely in Cartagena after an eventful, rewarding leg across the Mediterranean.

Passage Review: Weather, Training, and Teamwork

To avoid a heavy low-pressure system earlier in our route, we made a prudent tactical stop in Sardinia before pressing on toward the Spanish coast. The crossing offered a full spectrum of conditions: heavy rain, rolling thunderstorms, sustained winds up to Force 7, and swells reaching 3 meters.

Challenging conditions breed capable sailors. Our crew took full advantage of the weather to run intensive watch and sail training. Most encouragingly, our 24 students have stepped up with remarkable energy and high spirits. Over these 833 nautical miles and nearly 250 hours at the helm, shipboard routines have become second nature. Each student is steadily carving out their place aboard—confident on deck, sure-footed up in the rigging, and well-organized in the watches below deck.

For families and followers ashore wanting regular dispatches from life at sea, the students publish their own updates every few days on the Ocean College Florette Blog.

Ashore in Spain

We are thoroughly enjoying our time in Spain. The local food is exceptional, and the warmth of the people—particularly the welcoming, professional team here at the marina—has made our stay a true pleasure after rigorous days at sea.

The Tactical Call: Weather Analysis & Strategic Hold

Seamanship is as much about patience as it is about passage-making. After closely studying long-term weather charts, pushing out through the Strait of Gibraltar into the North Atlantic over the coming days makes little operational sense. Current synoptic models show intense low-pressure systems generating conditions well outside our operating profile: Sea State 6 with offshore wave heights ranging from 6 up to 10 meters, and localized gusts up to 64 knots.

Combined with very few reliable shelter points along that route—and knowing firsthand that strong winds opposed to a running tide in the Gibraltar Strait create brutal, counterproductive sea conditions—we have made the deliberate decision to hold in Cartagena until the weather picture stabilizes.

Shipboard Operations & Next Steps

We are turning this weather window into productive ship time:

• Rigging & Maintenance: Executing a complete rig inspection, aloft overhaul, and cosmetic upkeep across the ship.

• Logistics & Provisions: Fully restocking our fresh stores, galley provisions, and ship supplies for the upcoming ocean leg.

• The Forward Plan: We are monitoring the Atlantic low-pressure systems closely. Once conditions ease, our target is a reliable 10-day weather window. That will allow safe transit west toward Morocco, where we plan a one-week stay at anchor for our surf camp before setting course south-southwest for Tenerife.

All crew and students aboard Florette are safe, well, and in excellent spirits.

Fair winds,

Captain, SV Florette

The wait is finally over. The new Ocean College voyage aboard Florette is officially underway!

Before slipping our lines from the dock, the last few days were completely dedicated to intensive preparations, safety drills, and briefings. From abandon-ship procedures and fire drills to mastering harness protocol, rigging safety, and watch routines, the new student crew tackled their initial training with focused energy.

When the time came to set sail, the Mediterranean gave us an authentic welcome: Force 6 winds and building seas. It was a baptism of fire for the voyage’s opening miles, but the crew rose to the occasion. Seasickness struck a few, as is always expected when first leaving the harbor behind, but everyone has found their sea legs quickly and settled in remarkably well. The deck dynamic has already shifted from cautious newcomers to an active, working ship's company.

Exploring the Giants: Night Ascent on Stromboli & Vulcano Today

After proving their mettle under canvas, the crew traded pitching decks for volcanic ash. We have been spending the last couple of days navigating among the Aeolian Islands, using the landscape as our first outdoor classroom.

• Stromboli by Night: We anchored off the "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean" for an unforgettable nighttime hike. Watching glowing eruptions pierce the night sky against the backdrop of the open sea gave the crew a raw look at active geology in motion.

• Trekking Vulcano: Today, we took to the trails of Vulcano, hiking up to the crater rim amid steaming fumaroles and sulfur fields before heading back to the ship.

The energy on board is high, watches are rotating smoothly, and the routines between galley duty, ship maintenance, and academic prep are locking into place.

Next up, we set our sights west toward the open waters of the Mediterranean.

Fair winds,
Captain Ron & the Crew of SV Florette