We are headed out to sea on the Prince of Sea sailing yacht when the deck hand Tamer motions for me to come to him. He's holding a woven rope basket that he's been vigorously rigging since we left the
dock. I look around thinking he means someone else, but no, he really wants me.
I hand my camera to Roger and walk gingerly towards him.
The contraption is indeed a basket to sit in. I notice it is
attached to the boom of the sailboat but what that implies doesn't exactly
register. He motions for me to sit. I glance over at Roger and see his look of
trepidation.
 |
| Katie in the rope swing. |
The
minute I am in the basket Tamer lets go of the rope and I swing out over the
water on the ship’s starboard side. The swiftness of the movement startles me.
As the basket tilts at a dangerous angle, it takes a minute to comprehend that
if I don’t hold on really tight I will plunge headlong into the briny deep. Is
this a modern version of walking the plank?
I careen alongside
the starboard hull of the speeding yacht inches from the water; I feel like one
of the dolphins I have seen racing next to excursion boats. I am just about comfortable with this, when Tamer hoists me higher and I quickly fly over the boat to the port side only to be sharply brought
back again getting a great seagull view of the surroundings.
I spend about 15 minutes suspended over the water swinging
back and forth being hoisted up and down as Tamer has his way with me.
| Prince of Sea under full sail. onphoto courtesy of Prince of Sea |
The Prince of
Sea is a motorized luxury sailing yacht that travels out of the Al Hambra Yacht and Marine Club on the
Arabian Gulf coast in Ras Al Khaimah
(RAK) about 45 minutes driving time north of Dubai. This 80-foot gullet is the
traditional two-masted wooden sailing vessel from the south-west coast of
Turkey. Our vessel has three levels, three separate dining areas and seven
en-suite air conditioned cabins. Yes, that was seven cabins! This "PRINCE" is luxurious.
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| Roger supervises the hoisting of the sails by our shipmates. |
Prince of Sea is named after RAK’s most famous son, Ahmad Ibn Majid. A master navigator in the 1400’s, he was
famous for his navigational knowledge of the Indian Ocean at a critical time
when the European ships were just arriving.
The Prince’s
gregarious crew works vigorously to engage the guests - this is definitely a
participatory trip. Along with the swing
basket, some guests try their hand at acrobatics swinging from a harness trapeze, body sliding and speeding pontoon boats rides. There is even a lesson in hoisting the sails. Roger and I opt for the more sedate swimming
and snorkeling off the side of the ship.
By mid-afternoon, after all these water sports, we are
famished and welcome the scrumptious buffet lunch laid out in the main salon – a
selection of perfectly chilled fresh salads, simmering pasta, fresh garden vegetables,
tender grilled meats and fish. To top off a completely satisfying feast are petite
pastries and ice- cold fruit.
After
lunch Roger and I relax on the forward deck. There is just something magical
about the rhythm of a ship under sail. Her slow steady thrust against the
waves, the ripple of her sails catching the breeze and the
freshness of the salt air lulls us into an almost hypnotic cat-nap state.
 |
| Our merry band of sailors. |
By the end of our 6-hours on the sea our merry band of
sailors has bonded and is reluctant to say good-bye. Weary and sun-burned, Roger
and I agree this was one of our best days in the UAE and an experience we would
love to do again.
We enjoyed the full day excursion but the “Prince” offers
other options - sunset cruises - dinner cruises – ½ day cruise, 2 and 3 day
cruises to Dubai or almost wherever you want to go in the area. They have hosted corporate gatherings, weddings and birthday parties.
We give the Prince of Sea 5 stars!!!.
We give the Prince of Sea 5 stars!!!.
Disclosure: Roger and I were guests of the Prince of Sea.
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