Having made it across the ocean, I no longer feel the need for a save feature right away. You can just write down your position and time, then start a new game, teleport to that position and move the clock forward. I suppose any broken masts would reappear, though.
Regarding the terrain, my camera definitely wasn't inside anything. I was zoomed in one my ship right in the middle of Basse-Terre harbor, looking east. Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to take a screenshot.