0156 UTC | 15 25.096’ N 097 14.629’ W
Sailing
Lloyd wished it to be known that this blog was written before the Super Bowl.
Happy Super Bowl Sunday. I had booked this adventure long before I found out my beloved Seattle Seahawks would be any good, let alone playing in the game. Such is life, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I believe I have convinced most of our crew to join me in my rooting interest, while I receive sporadic updates via satellite.
Enough of all that.
I want to talk today about community. We get to know the crew we stand watches with quite well. One of the Falken Crew, Jake (who is wise well beyond his 27 years), put a thought into my head. Talking about his adventures exploring our country via a camper van, he said he had discovered something. All of his experiences meant just a bit less because he was solo; he was not sharing them with others.
An experience is greater when it is a shared experience.
On this leg on Falken, Jake and Delaney are the only two who had previously met, having worked together on the schooner Woodwind. The other nine of us had never met. We are a group who has come together for a common adventure, working towards common goals. Through all of the highs and lows of this trip, we have formed bonds and friendships. This sense of community has amplified what is already a wondrous adventure — an experience made richer because it is a shared experience.
This aspect has been a pleasant surprise.
// Lloyd
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Seasickness
But maybe, I thought, with some drugs I could stay ahead of it. The first 48 hours I felt horrible. But luckily with 3 health care professionals on board and in a very encouraging environment, my body found its way. Anyway, someone offered me a patch (unavailable in Canada) and someone else gave me some pills for nausea and now I feel much, much better.
Dolphins and Bioluminescence
We had a good run with the sails but weather has changed and we are once again chasing the wind. Everyone is getting a chance to practice helming in big swell; starting to get a feel of the wind and water and how it pushes and pulls the hull. A pod of dolphins came to visit at night, splashing in the bioluminescent water, and again in the day, dancing in the bow wake. For now enjoying the calmer sea state and falling asleep to the rumble of the engine and the gentle whooshing of the water on the hull.
Greetings from Lala Lemonshark
The brave crew is toughing it out and staying cheerful despite being tossed around. The engine is off and we are true sailing-main and jib. In the first 12 hours we saw two pods of Orca and four humpback whales, two of which were 20 yards off the starboard beam!