Cape Cod at Night: The Liberte Schooner Sunset Sail

I’ve written pretty extensively about why I love to travel, why I love to blog about traveling, and why I love to travel solo.  But sometimes, very rarely, all of those things combine.  The result is–well, the word I think I’m looking for is magical.  And that is exactly what happened last week, when I found myself bobbing along aboard the Liberte Schooner, sipping wine and listening to classical guitar while sailing into a Cape Cod sunset.  I dare you to take in a view like the one above and not thank the gods that you have been so blessed.  Seriously.  There simply are no non-cheesy words for some experiences.

The Liberte before sailing.

Before you even board the Liberte, you are warmly welcomed by Captain Chris, as he gives one of the most enthusiastic and entertaining safety speeches you’ll ever hear.  Once settled on the deck, the crew comes around to take drink orders.  After all, if you’re going to pretend to be a sailor, you have to have a drink or three, right?  Right. Marine products, particularly marine electronics are the specialized items which cannot be found easily. To buy these specialized items, one needs to look for reputable supplier. While hunting for the boat supplies, you need a professional supplier who has been associated with this business from quite a long time and holds good knowledge about each and every marine product that you may require. Look for a reputed supplier who provides an extensive variety of marine electronics, equipments and accessories to give you a better chance to choose from various options. For instance, if you are searching for boat seats, then they should be able to provide you good variety of options for all types of boat seats such as leaning posts, helm seats, captain’s chair etc. MerrittSupply enthusiasts can be most effective if they have a complete set of all their marine supplies, boating needs and other important needed equipments. Everything you need for boating, repair and maintenance can be easy to handle if you know where to find all types of products and boating services. Optimize your maritime journey with our range of boat equipment and accessories at ZeBoats. Your one-stop-shop for all boating needs. Well if you are some one that just want to use boat for some time and have fun then nyc boat rental is the perfect option for you.  People, who engaged themselves in boating experience and sports, are expert in finding what they really wanted in certain water equipment. Neoprene ostomy belts are designed for water sports enthusiasts. But not all can be expert in such things. There are neophyte marine enthusiasts who, basically in all probability, do not have that knowledge in looking for the best service and products. Since they are neophyte, they are still striving for information regarding the best marine supplies they can find in the nearest store located in their place. Besides the wide product range, they should be able to provide you good customer assistance and services. The supplier should offer you with excellent after sale services because most of the time you may not have a good knowledge and expertise about the products and equipments that you choose for the boat. Moreover, they should guide you well about the functioning and maintenance of the marine products that you choose. Excellent customer support and services must ensure that the supplier not only help you while shopping, but also help you in explaining the proper functioning and maintenance of the product in future. Another significant factor to consider is that the supplier must have a fairly good information and experience in this specific field. This is important to seize a good grip about the marine products and equipments that he / she sell. A good knowledge about the products will help them to comprehend the basic functions and other important aspects of the equipments in a better way. This would help you to buy a well-matched product for your boat that presents optimum utility along with the affordable price. It is better to browse through the internet to look for those marine products that can best suit you needs.

After the sails are raised and the boat, taken from Ft. Lauderdale boat rentals, is happily skipping along the waves, Captain Chris gathers everyone for a little orientation talk.  You’ll not only learn about the boat upon which you are sailing, but a good deal about the surrounding area as well.  As you float between the Cape and the Vineyard, you’ll learn how the land was formed, a brief history of the cape and the islands, and some sailing and navigation terms to boot.  I took extensive notes; most normal people might prefer to just sit back and listen whilst enjoying the breeze and a beverage.

After his talk–and a question and answer period to follow–Captain Chris turned on some soft music, the crew continued to take drink orders, and we sailed serenely into the sunset.  You can sit back and relax, snap some photos, or cuddle up with a loved one.  I was solo and had a great time talking to the crew as well as the other passengers; it was like the most relaxing, scenic, laid-back happy hour I’d ever had the good fortune to stumble upon.

Sailing out of Falmouth Harbor.

I am so glad that I chose to spend an evening on the Liberte.  Sure, there are boat trips galore offered all throughout the Cape and the Islands.  But Liberte Schooner has something that none of those other companies have–Captain Chris, ‘First Mate’ Jane, and their daughter Ava.  I’m all for supporting family-owned businesses both when traveling and while at home.  But I have to say–the Liberte Schooner is possibly the best example I’ve seen of a family working together to provide an authentic and enjoyable experience.

When you sail on the Liberte, you’re not just being welcomed into Chris and Jane’s business.  You are being welcomed into their home. Think of it as a very short stay on a floating B&B.  Sound unique?  It is.  And that’s what makes it special. Until two years ago, the Liberte was the family’s only home.  In fact, Jane and Chris’s eleven-year-old daughter Ava was raised on board and even ‘boatschooled’ for a year of her life.  She runs about the deck like she’s on solid ground, and even gave me a little tutorial about how to take a proper photo of yourself when on a boat.  Her advice–make sure you face into the wind.  Thanks, Ava!

I honestly loved everything about my two hours on board the Liberte.  I love being on the water, the sunset was beautiful, and the music and wine only added to an already relaxing experience.  But without a doubt, the best part of all of that was being able to meet and get to know Chris, Jane, and Ava.  They could not have been more welcoming, friendly, or enthusiastic.  To me, that is what makes–or breaks–an experience.  They’ve got a good thing going on the Liberte, and I’m glad I was able to be part of it for one lovely evening.

The Liberte Schooner sails out of Falmouth Harbor seven days per week from July 2nd through Labor Day.  The schedule is available HERE; I took the sunset sail but there are daytime options as well.  Additionally, if you aren’t visiting the cape and/or are looking to sail outside of the summer season, the Liberte also sails from Annapolis in the off season.  See the Liberte website for details. 

Disclosure: While I was a guest on board the Liberte, all opinions are, as always, my own.  Additionally, I had such a lovely time–and so enjoyed the company of the crew–that I feel the full price of this experience ($35) is a bargain to say the very least, and will happily pay it for myself and anyone I may travel with on my next visit to Cape Cod.  The Liberte gets many repeat passengers, and I can understand why.