It’s my turn at bow watch. I look to the sides, then straight ahead as the ship motors through water smooth as glass. The morning mist still hangs on the deeply forested islands surrounding us and the rising sun shimmers on the water like a million sparkling diamonds. A cool breeze blows gently through my hair, and I breathe deeply, filling my lungs with the clean air of the Salish Sea.
I’m here aboard the Schooner Zodiac, a historic tall ship that sails out of Bellingham, Washington. She’s a beautifully restored windjammer with the classic grandeur of a 1920s billionaire’s yacht. With room for just 49 passengers, we’re headed to the San Juan Islands for three nights and four days.