The Instituto Hemingway Sailing Trip of August 2020

When Monday, the 3rd of August, arrived it was time for one of the most prestigious activities for our students yet - the sailing trip around the harbor area of Bilbao and into the open sea.

As is customary for the institute’s cultural activities we met at the school’s premises at the agreed upon time and gathered our six most sea-worthy students (in other words: everybody who signed up), originating from places from all over the world like Japan, Russia, Irland and the UK, and went, like commoners, with the Metro to Neguri in the Getxo district, where we were met by around 25° Celsius and sunshine – perfect conditions for our adventurous enterprise.

From there it was just a little walk past the Playa de Eraga onto an artificial peninsula where the sailboat marina is located. With no trouble finding our small but pretty white vessel between many others just like it, we boarded it and marveled at the sailor’s craft of steering it out of its wharf.

Then it was time to shout “Leash off – ¡Suelta la correa!

With the wind blowing and the sun shining down on us from a bright blue sky, we quickly took a turn back (everybody move out of the way so the sail could pass!) to the outfall of the Ria de Bilbao into the ocean and enjoyed the view at the city from this most unusual spot.

A few more turns (everybody move and always watch your head!) took us back into the traditional but even nowadays still busy industrial harbor area, that gives an impression of Bilbao’s economic past, and from there out into the open sea, where we were enamoured by the clear sight and prospects back at the beautiful coast landscapes and ahead towards the open Atlantic Ocean.

Filled with joy and gazing in amazement at the nautical prowess of our sailing captain, almost 4 hours of our loop on maritime surface went by so quickly but everybody was so happy to have been a part of this exclusive experience, just in the right mood to enjoy the sunset from the safety at the port.

What a special day it was!