01:59 UTC | 12°59.243’N 093°00.673’W
Sailing
Apprentice Jake here. It’s been about a week since writing about sipping morning coffee and hearing about Robert’s wild stories working at the surf shop, and a lot has changed over the last days on the high seas. The first couple days were easy, breezy, fun-filled days getting to know everyone. I never would have expected everyone to form such tight bonds so fast.
I am absolutely loving the Woodwind x 59º North mash-up. A lot of the time on Woodwind, the guests will ask about what it’s like to work on a boat, and of course it’s amazing! I wanted to work on the Woodwind to hone my sailing skills. The unexpected bonus was how much I’ve enjoyed getting to know the guests on the boat. We get everyone under the sun on the boat, and everyone has a story to share, and I eat it up. The only downside is when they have to get off the boat and we’ve only scratched the surface of each other’s story. I tell the guests that while I love the Woodwind, I want to try longer charters so that I can get to know the guests on a deeper level. I had a feeling more time with guests would be more rewarding, and I could not have been more right. It’s been nine days at sea with only one person that I knew before getting on Falken, and it feels like I’ve known everyone for years.
The first couple days, while everyone was getting to know each other, it felt very similar to working on the Woodwind, with great, mostly surface-level conversation. I hope the crew doesn’t mind me speaking for them, but right around day four it felt like the offshore switch was turned on and everyone stopped caring about superficial landlubber things like wearing clean clothes or brushing your hair. There’s something about seeing someone moments after they wake up, with sleep in their eyes and wild hair, that allows you to freely open up to those around you.
During one of our regularly scheduled afternoon watches, I was chatting with the crew about life and how this trip has filled holes of camaraderie that have been vacant for years. My regular spiel about my time traveling around the states in my camper van came up, and something about Offshore Jake came into play. After hundreds of iterations of the story being told on Woodwind, I was remembering aspects of the story that would be inappropriate to bring up on a two-hour day cruise but are completely welcomed by new family. As I start my offshore career, it has driven home the importance of sharing your adventures with people because, as Capt. Delaney always says, “joy shared is double joy.”
Happy Sailing
// Jake
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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!!
People Get Ready!
The last three days have been an intense (and intensely hot) period of discovery, practice, and planning. Because Adrienne II is not a 59N boat, there's been some extra setup and coordination needed including rigging all the sails that were out for repairs before we arrived. Its been a blast working alongside the 59N team getting to help them work things out on a less familiar boat in real time. Tomorrow morning we'll run through our Person Over Board training as the final pre-departure task, cast off and head out. Can't know all that it will be, but its going to be a great adventure out in the vast world with some pretty fantastic people.