Rock of Gibraltar from the Seven Seas Voyager cruise ship

It was a day at sea on the Regent cruise ship, en route to Valencia, Spain. I awoke to a voice on the PA system alerting guests of the Rock of Gibraltar to our north. I opened the curtains and went out onto my balcony, welcomed by the wondrous view of the 1,398ft high limestone rock situated on the Iberian Peninsula. The gigantic, pale-grey monolith, comprised of crystalline and dolomite minerals, shimmered in the morning light. Wanting a closer view of the Rock, I quickly got dressed and headed for the 13th floor observation deck.

Rock of Gibraltar, Spain

While Gibraltar itself was an extraordinary sight, I was overcome by a sense of awe upon entering the mouth of the Mediterranean. So smooth and calm the sea was, compared to the Bay of Biscay, which had caused three rather restless nights due to rocking and rolling  in six-meter swells. As I looked out to the north, there was the continent of Europe and when I turned to the south, there was Africa (Tangiers, Morocco), with its arid, chocolate-brown Rif mountain range. I experienced a peculiar sensation, being able to see two very different worlds at the same time – only a small expanse of 50 miles of sea between the continents. What with Ebola, HIV and internal conflicts in Africa, it was quite a contrast to behold that mass of land, so peaceful and serene, from the vantage point of the ship.