Mother Nature, you’ve outdone yourself!

Final days upon us! So bittersweet. I want to reflect back on a few cool moments that have happened thus far.

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It’s been a great experience to have a non-traditional trans-Atlantic, as it’s been packed with genuinely cool features.

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Crossing the equator, the doldrums, trade winds, night watches, ridiculous sunsets, generous laughter, a lot of ocean, and several moments feeling thankful this is my life.

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Depending on the conditions, you may see stars almost down to the water line, more shooting stars than you can keep track of, and bioluminescence in the wake.

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And in case you’re wondering… should you wake up your first mate Naxo when you see the bioluminescence? I’d advise not unless… I quote, “the sea state is so calm… and there are dolphins ahead of the bow jumping out of the water in such an intense bioluminescence that they look like avatars…”

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Let the man sleep.

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Anywho. Talk about experiencing multiple temperature zones.

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Salvador to the equator: hot, humid, tropical. Strong sun, warm nights.

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After passing through the equator, it’s been still predominantly warm, but with the squalls passing through, a few free showers were a nice little delight.

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The temperatures seem to be gradually cooling as we head north, which I’ll admit, I’m quite fond of. While I love sleeping in the forward cockpit to take on the ocean breeze at night, it’s nice to climb into my own bunk and not immediately stick to the sheets.

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Throughout the hot and sticky days, the cabin evolved into a sunblock slip and slide, but like clockwork, we did our daily boat chores and each day was as good as new, with a fresh green apple scent.

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Humidity… 100%. Glamour… negotiable.

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Now let’s get into some fun stuff.

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The Doldrums!! A place sailors have been talking about for centuries. It sounds like a place where nothing happens but it’s actually quite the opposite.

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I’d consider the doldrums a little world where the Atlantic exposes its mood swings. The 360 view of the horizon with nothing in sight but water and wandering clouds magnifying the “out of this world” experience.

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The wind will shift from light and variable to sudden squalls, heavy rain, and sharp gusts.

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Our initial forecasts showed low to no winds, but we got quite the opposite.

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What a cool feeling to experience it firsthand, noticing the eerie lulls while watching the radar, knowing we’re in for a wild ride.

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The unpredictability is what made it such an exhilarating experience.

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Weather stops becoming background information and something you actually live inside. What a treat to notice things that once felt invisible on land. The changes in cloud structure, swell direction, wind shifts, humidity, stars. All of these having significant meaning into what’s in store for us.

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With that, I’d like to share a sneak peek into our hour-long affair of energy on all levels.

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It started with a few flashes of lightning, far enough away that we heard no following thunder.

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Unlike our previous nights, where the sky was illuminated by glittering stars, constellations and the moon, this night was total darkness. All we had was the sounds around us: waves splashing on the boat, whistling purrs from the wind on the halyards.

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We all sat there in our positions, rotating watches accordingly.

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I will admit, as I was waiting for my watch rotation, I was keeping a close eye on the radar and could see what we were in for. Naxo was on deck with us, and I strategically asked if he wanted to take the helm for my shift.

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No more than 10 minutes in, our surroundings got really quiet. While we all saw it coming on the radar, we could have never imagined it to this extent.

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While previous squalls lasted around 10-20 minutes at most, this little beast grew and grew and grew. It literally felt like we were in a washing machine.

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Flashes of lightning encompassing us. The radar has moments where it looks like a massacre. Pools of red swirling about with new ones creeping in as time evolves.

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We were all taken aback by how long it lasted. Every time we peeked at the radar thinking it was moving along, a bigger and brighter red energy response just kept hovering over us.

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No words were needed, which was good considering you would not have been able to hear much over the roaring thunder and whistling winds.

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The smiles exchanged between my watch mates were comforting… there was a communal sense of just being in this together and loving every bit of it.

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One of the bolts struck no less than 10 feet away from us… a 1 Mississippi count until its roaring thunder followed.

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The lightning illuminated the darkness around us, magnifying the feeling of being in a completely separate world. These bursts of energy lasted a few more minutes until the weather decided to take an intermission.

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Once the wind settled down, we all just sat in awe. You could feel the energy from all of us.

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As someone who will avoid itchy butt at all costs, you know it’s a good time when you willingly sit there with damp bums and elevated spirits knowing this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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While some might be frightened or alarmed by this kind of weather, I was embodied with a sense of calm and awe. Although nature is so powerful and fierce, having had time to get to know the boat and our staff, I knew we were in good hands. I believe I can speak on behalf of my entire watch crew when I say we felt safe first and foremost, which allowed for a truly unique and beautiful experience.

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There’s something wildly beautiful about being reminded how small you are, while feeling so incredibly alive.

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Anyway, just another casual evening in the middle of the Atlantic.

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Mother Nature, you’ve outdone yourself.