I’m not sure I ever paid much attention to the Straits of Gibraltar. In fact, I wonder just how many of us know exactly where they are. If you look at a map of the Atlantic, notice how BIG the Atlantic Ocean is. I tried to get some numbers from the Purser last night, but he said the bridge was very busy last night. We passed through the Straits of Gibraltar between midnight and 2am in high waves, winds, mist and darkness. The sea had been perfectly calm the entire 11 days of our crossing… But it really kicked up as we entered the straits. The distance we "drove" to get from Miami to "inside the Mediterranean" is 4400 nautical miles [it’s 4450 miles from Susie’s house on Westwood Lake (25° 43′ 43" N; 80° 22′ 16" W) to Málaga, Spain (36° 44′ 34" N; 4° 25′ 33" W) mp]. Chuck says that a nautical mile is a little more than a "land" or statute mile. It took 11 days to make the sail to "steam" from Miami to Malaga Spain (with a stop in Saint Maarten and Funchal Portugal)… Suppose you make it across the Atlantic. Take a look at the map. If you run due east or maybe north east you will run full tilt into Africa or Spain or other land mass…. and you have a very tiny chance of hitting the 20 mile wide opening into the Mediterranean!!!!! It is no wonder so many ships have been lost in the past. As we passed into the straits, I went up to the 10th deck in my jammies and robe (Chuck was just coming in from the piano bar so he was in tux) I could see very clearly despite the dark and fog last night both sides (Africa and Spain.) The English controlled the opening to the Mediterranean (the Strait of Gibraltar) during WWII to keep German U boats out. I know the American subs were in the Med patrolling in case a German U boat slipped through. What amazing history this body of water (the Med) has. Our room steward knocked at 9am this morning and we roused ourselves to go ashore at Malaga. Great churches!!!!! Chuck lost his sail and sign card but they let him on board the ship with his passport. All is well and we look forward to beginning our "Tuscan Adventure" on Saturday morning. Cheers!!! Love Susie
Categories