Living Ship Shape *Videos*

My love affair with all things boats continues — And lucky for me I’m fresh off two incredible sailing journeys: a clipper ship sailing the Amalfi Coast and an ultra-luxury cruise along the Dalmatian Coast.

What did I like most about my cruises? They epitomize the spirit of Living Mini!

Here’s a refresher on the 3 principles comprising the “Essence of Living Mini”:

#1 – Decrease, and then Increase - By maintaining a smaller physical space, we allow for growth in other areas of your life.

The living space on board was tiny, and yet the clipper ship experience was massive!

• Decreased Space: Our cabin on the Royal Clipper sailing ship was small – even by cruise-ship standards. And yet it had everything we needed: a bathroom, closet space, storage space under the bed, a small desk, a double bed and even a decent–sized window. Think cozy!
• Increased Enjoyment: The Royal Clipper is the world’s largest and only five-masted full-rigged sailing ship. With the 42 sails flying, this ship was absolutely magnificent. Never before have I enjoyed sailing so much. It was truly a treat to be able to sit on deck, under the sails, and watch the southern Italian islands float by.

#2 – Living Inside Out – A smaller space forces us to venture out into the world.

The Clipper ship journey enabled me to reach new places.

• On Land: During our week, we visited some life-sized ports, including Naples, Sorrento, Capri, and Sicily! During the day we’d explore each of these Amalfi Coast villages and at night we’d set sail for a fresh destination.
• On Water: There was also great fun to be had on the Clipper Ship, including Crow’s Nest climbing, sail pulling, and an open-door bridge policy.

Here’s the video of me from high up on the main mast with Capri in the background:

#3 – Emphasize the Experiential – Life is all about savoring experiences, rather than collecting inanimate objects.

One of the highlights of the cruise was watching the Italian volcano Stromboli erupting a night. Stromboli is 926 meters (3,034 ft) above sea level and rises more than 2,000 meters (6,500 ft) above the sea floor. Its eruptions are visible from the surrounding sea, earning it the nickname “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean.”

Stromboli is one of three active volcanoes in Italy and it has been erupting almost constantly for the last 20,000 years. It features tiny explosions or “volcanic bombs” that occur at the summit as often as every few minutes.

These tiny bombs – called Strombolian eruptions – are actually energetic bursts emitting ash and incandescent lava fragments. The lava bombs reach altitudes of between tens and hundreds of meters.

Before the Clipper Ship cruise, I had never even heard of Stromboli eruptions and now it’s a great memory for me. Truly a fantastic experience to watch the fiery eruptions as this incredible ship glided past under the moonlight. Check it out! (p.s. this is not my video).

Living a Fuller Life

To me, our one week Clipper Ship cruise was a great introduction to long-term living on a sail boat. Now my eyes are open and I’m on the hunt for a longer-term ocean excursion. I wonder where in the world my next sailing adventure will be?!

Tags: Amalfi Coast, clipper ship, Royal Clipper, sailing, Stromboli

This entry was posted on Monday, July 11th, 2011 and is filed under Essence of LivingMini®.