To me, there is nothing quite as cozy as being down-below on a safely anchored cruising sloop at night. There is a warm, comforting fug, maybe the smell of a nice dinner, some good company,a glass of heavy red wine, some mellow music. The boat rocks gently. You stick your head up topsides to check the anchor and then you duck back down into the warmth.
I loved this shot from Peter Goss’s blog about the building and sailing of the Spirit of Mystery, his a wooden, 37′ lugger that he will sail to Australia in October. Looks pretty cozy to me. Although I expect that when they round Cape Horn, it will be a little different story down below.
It’s even better when the oil lamps are lit below. Nice pic.