Party Time!
2200 UTC | 31° 55.123’ N 039° 59.969’ W
Sailing
Late last night, conveniently right before I went down for a snooze, we got a bit of bonus breeze and were able to shut the engine off and sail. Engine off means time to clean the fuel filters and do whatever we can to prevent our diesel bug from clogging the system. Open the filters, clean any gunk, check the lines, then my snooze came soon after.
Since then we’ve been motoring through a high with slowly but consistently decreasing breeze. We furled the genoa right at daybreak, and dropped the main before sunset. Up until then it wasn’t flogging and was providing a nice bit of shade.
To fill the time while we motored on glassy clear blue ocean seas, we’ve had yoga sessions and a bit of weight lifting. We put out two fishing lines which I think should double our chances but nothing so far. Our resident vegan Knut said he’s rooting for the fish. Perhaps that’s why we’ve had no bites.
What the crew didn’t know, is that Erik and I had been planning a bit of a party all day to celebrate our halfway point. To start, meteorologist/ skipper extraordinaire Erik set up the weather so that we motored into a perfectly glassy calm evening and could go for a swim. This was certainly no coincidence, it was arranged just for the party. We did some swan dives and a few laps around the somewhat stationary boat. The water was cool, clear, and seemingly about a million feet deep (no idea how many meters, sorry Anton).
After the swim we ushered all the crew aft and had them turn around and watch the sunset as Erik, Anton, and I set up streamers and a party sign. I knew this would be a big hit, as it’s exactly what my mom had done for my birthday each year growing up (and sometimes still now). We enjoyed dinner, vegan coffee cake for dessert, and finished with Glums and Glows. My Glow list for the day was long, and I feel like I didn’t even mention it all.
Although we are all out here to sail, and ideally sail fast, sometimes these days of calm motoring provide a much needed respite on long voyages. After beating up wind for over a week, we have a chance to mix up the routine, slow down, and relax a bit. We all now look forward to some more upwind sailing tomorrow afternoon (potentially on a port tack this time) and keep our fingers crossed for some reaching in our future.
All is well aboard the mighty ship Adrienne II.
Delaney Vorwick
View more passage logs
The Human Factor
Thus our existence slowly reverted to a much simpler form of being. We start to notice the smaller things, we start looking up and around, we start observing our thoughts. Sailing can be a great social accelerator. Sharing hardship and milestones, friendships are born and evolve at a speed that would seem impossible from land. And after those three weeks spent with you, I am getting ready to leave our vessel with the profound conviction that those bonds will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
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.