Sometimes You Just Have to Take Time to Paint

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Day 23, 2023 Grand South America and Antarctica

Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023; Isla Robinsón Crusoe, Chile

After sailing 416 miles west from our last port of San Antonio, Chile, we arrived at Isla Robinsón Crusoe in the Juan Fernádez Islands. It wasn’t smooth sailing.

A weather system further south sent swells our way, resulting in both rolling (side to side) and pitching (back to front) yesterday. Many of us stayed in our cabins – in my case, not from seasickness but just because it was difficult to get anywhere or do anything. Because the ship’s stabilizers work better at faster speeds,

Wind data — we are at blue dot in the middle of the page.

Capt. Ane Smit sped up so we arrived last evening instead of this morning. We anchored overnight in Cumberland Bay, which was protected from the swells, making everyone happier.

The island got its unusual name when Chile renamed it from Más a Tierra in hopes of attracting more tourists. Author Daniel Defoe shaped his character Robinson Crusoe after a sailor who was shipwrecked here, although he moved the setting for his novel to the Caribbean.

There isn’t much tourist infrastructure, particularly on a Sunday. No shore excursions, or taxis to hire. The main attraction is hiking, and a number of passengers made their way into the mountains.

My plan was to go ashore later in the morning, but those returning said the access to the pier from the tender was tenuous and frequently resulted in soaked feet. As I sat in the Crow’s Nest admiring the view, I decided I would sketch and paint instead, with the best viewing platform being the bow of Deck 6. I put on my puffer jacket to keep warm against the stiff breeze and sketched the expanse of the bay. Then I moved on to the Crow’s Nest, where I could paint my view in comfort.

It is rare that I actually finish a sketch and painting in one day. I have to say that any potential disappointment in not setting foot on this remote island was compensated by the enjoyment of spending hours painting.

Speaking of painting, I can’t really give an update on the watercolor classes as I haven’t been going. But they remain popular and from what I’ve seen, they have moved on beyond the basics. The classes are only 45 minutes long, so there is not a lot of opportunity to do more than a simple painting. I’m sure that’s what a lot of people enjoy.

I’ve been using sea days to catch up on some of my painting, and actually finished my sketchbook section on the Montreal to Fort Lauderdale segment.

Before I left my sister’s house, I thumbed through my first cruise sketchbook, from 2018. I had decided to leave my professional camera gear at home and just sketch. I was very ambitious and did multiple sketches at most ports, but my technique was simple.

Now that I have learned more watercolor techniques, I find each page takes significantly longer. So I’ve abandoned my goal of at least one sketch per port. I’m trying to sketch what I like, and I’m enjoying the process more.