I had never been on a sailing ship before, so I was nervous. No need! It was a wonderful adventure. Our crew was helpful and knowledgeable. We were invited to help hoist the sails but were also welcome to just sit and watch. The sea cooperated with my stomach (I had "seabands" on - found at the pharmacy on Rosecrans St.- just in case). The crew was generous with blankets, snacks, and sodas (and there was a restroom on board below deck!). We dressed in layers, hats, and sunglasses. I highly recommend binoculars, too. Marie, the chocolate lab, began to bark when she smelled animals in the water. We sailed through a large pod of dolphins, hopping to and fro on both sides of the ship and you could hear them breathe! Capt. Troy kept us out a bit longer and we found two humpbacks gently coming to the surface and diving again. As we turned to go back to SD, we looked back to see two more of them breach!! It was a great experience!!