London Departure
September 4, 2024, 14:20 UTC | Cruising out of Thames River
Everyone seemed to have a good time exploring London yesterday. We all gathered on the boat for a pre-dinner drink and then headed off to The Dickens Inn at St. Katharine Docks for our supper. We enjoyed the night and ended with a weather and route briefing from Captain Erik. Our next port of call will be Guernsey Island!
This morning we scrubbed the deck, did passage planning, refueled diesel, and then said goodbye to London. The mood onboard is good and watch systems are back on track as we motor along. The boat was kept in good shape and our watches worked great coming here. I think the sailors onboard are happy to keep up the good work when we sail into the English Channel.
Right now we are enjoying cinnamon buns bought from a Swedish bakery in London. We will most probably keep on sailing with the Yankee head-sail when we find some wind offshore. The wind will be on our beam at about 15 knots as we sail southwest. In the English Channel, the forecast promises following winds. We expect to make landfall in Guernsey in about two days from now.
Hold Fast!
- David the apprentice
59ºNorthApprentice
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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.