22:00 UTC | 06°06.41’N 096°57.78’W
Sailing
At night, between the clouds, the Milky Way stretches down to the waves. The Southern Cross tumbles slowly in place near the horizon; across the sky, the Big Dipper disappears to the north. Bioluminescence sparks in the waves that break against Falken’s hull and glimmers in the cresting tops of the swells that surround us. Alex’s quiet coaching drifts through the cockpit—small helm movements, but more often: “Feel the wind, feel the waves, listen to Falken.”
We’re heading southwest until the clouds break, trying to get through the band of squalls and gusts that separates us from the trade winds, steering with the wind 110 degrees off the port bow. The swell is coming from two directions, sometimes canceling itself out in a moment of stillness, and sometimes coming together to form a pyramid a few meters high which slides Falken sideways with a whoosh and a splash.
Alex said I’m always smiling at the helm. I’m not surprised; she’s a beautiful boat to steer, tugging gently at the wheel as the waves pick her up. I get the feeling she knows exactly where she’s supposed to be going and is bemused by our novice attempts to guide her. Another 2,800 miles or so to go, and I’m sure we’ll all get better at listening to her.
Phoebe
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Day Four: The boat has figured us out
By day 4, things start to get into a rhythm that starts to look like a small community onboard. It’s when personalities start to flourish, when people start losing themselves and start to realize that they don’t really care about a lot of things! I’m pretty sure the disconnection from the internet starts aligning our inner selves. Clearly everyone has gotten their sea legs by now, and even the boat seems to have understood the type of crew she has now. I love to see how people start fitting into different roles with their peers and the boat itself.
Kärt barn har många namn
A dear child goes by many a name, or as we say in Swedish "kärt barn har många namn". This is the case for many a person, but also some species, not least the Mahi mahi, which also goes by dolphin fish, golden mackerel, and dorado, among others. Soon, we could see the fish jump, a hundred feet or so behind the boat, and as I kept reeling, a beautiful Mahi appeared under the surface. Manot showed us how to clean and fillet it, and after a complete team effort two large fillets are now in the freezer of Adrienne II.
Cast off the lines
When we awoke it was overcast but the Brazilian sun quickly burned the clouds away and we were left with blue skies. We reviewed some safety procedures, cleaned the boat and had an exciting Person Overboard (POB) recovery. Once we were underway spirits soared as we pointed the bow toward the Canary Islands. As I write this we are heading upwind and dealing with all that involves, and working into our first watches. It is hot, a bit bumpy but we are sailing!!