Day 6
July 11, 2024 | Day 6 At Sea | Land Ho
What a wet, wet night it was as we sped through the nimbo stratus in force 6, then the winds slowly decreasing. The slamming stopped and we sped through the North Sea on a smoother ride. Unfortunately, the wind slowed and reduced to nothing in the morning and we were motoring in fog. What a contrast. The rain continued, so we set up a crew rotation of 30 minutes: first on lookout duty, then steering, followed by radar watch, ending with some rest time. Slowly the fog cleared and revealed the coast of Norway. What a beautiful moment. Land Ho by sen GiGi at 1200 UTC.
But we were still a long way out from making port. This was a time of reflection about the trip, how we have personally responded, learning points, and future plans. Excitement grew as land got closer and revealed Norway’s amazing rocky archipelago. We ate supper as we entered the inland waterways. We knew we had to clear customs, so we headed for Hjellestad Haven to see if we could moor alongside. Unfortunately, there was no room. So we changed plan and decided to anchor nearby off Myntevic. We carefully positioned ourselves to drop the anchor. But when the time came, we found that the anchor chain had tied itself in knots! That is how rough the seas were off the Shetlands!
It was late, we were all tired, but we kept laughing at how there is always one more challenge. This time it was Manot who was the hero, pulling all the chain out, untangling it, and returning the chain to the chain locker. We were ready to try anchoring again and this time it went smoothly.
While we were playing with the chain, some of the crew came below and prepared a fabulous feast of tapas for us to celebrate our arrival. We toasted the passage and safe arrival with cold bubbly and shared our favorite parts.
What a great crew. We have laughed loads, worked hard, and challenged ourselves to sail out of our comfort zones.
- Jojo Pickering, Skipper, S/Y FALKEN
JoJoPickering
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The Penultimate Blog from Adrienne II
After 20 days, and 3000+ nautical miles, we're back on land. The motley crew of Adrienne II, consisting of 7 happy amateurs supported by 3 professionals, have completed an epic journey many dream of but few realize. So much of this trip has been about being present - with nature, with each other, with this boat. My biggest takeaway from this trip is the amazing crossing of the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone). We all hope you've enjoyed the blog as much as we've enjoyed creating it.
Mother Nature, you’ve outdone yourself!
It’s been a great experience to have a non-traditional trans-Atlantic, as it’s been packed with genuinely cool features. The Doldrums!! A place sailors have been talking about for centuries. The unpredictability is what made it such an exhilarating experience. While some might be frightened or alarmed by this kind of weather, I was embodied with a sense of calm and awe. There’s something wildly beautiful about being reminded how small you are, while feeling so incredibly alive.
A Heavenly High
As you have probably figured out at this point, the drug of choice on board is, of course, celestial navigation- an art which has hooked offshore sailors for centuries. Once addicted, navigators will emerge from down below only to get their fixes two times per day, and spend the rest of their days and nights down below doing complex spherical mathematics. On Adrienne II, our skipper is our dealer. I must confess that I myself gave in to the strange urge which I’ve felt witnessing my crewmates practice this fine art, and yesterday felt an amazing sensation as I was able to wield the sextant for the first time and with it, bring down the tip of our starboard spreader to the top of our front sprayhood, presicely measuring the angle between the two (35deg, 38,8’ min). This afternoon, Naxo then showed me how to get my fix from the very sun itself - and I now fear there is no turning back.