Yesterday was the start of a very in depth orientation to this 55 foot sailing machine. We spent the morning going through many of the systems as well as learning all of the procedures for: fire on board, water ingress, threat of collision, person overboard and abandoning ship procedure. In the afternoon we start to look at all of the rigging and lines. I get sent 70 feet up the mast for a mast inspection and am grateful to not be up there in a swell or 25 knots of breeze. Here is the view from just over half way up the mizzen mast.
After more boat orientation and preparation we talk about going to dive and snorkel with the sharks. At the last minute I make a decision to not get into the water with a bunch of unknown sharks. Ordinarily I think it would be fair to say that I am relatively brave and adventurous even, but a primal instinct kicked in and very clearly said no and I listened. Truth be told I didn’t feel like getting a limb bitten off right before we set sail as that would have been just downright inconvenient.
There are 29 boats that are sailing around the world together on a 15 month voyage. It has been really fun meeting the sailors from the other boats on this around the world voyage, making new connections and discovering mutual friends. The paradox is at these moments it feels like the world is small and in a days time when we loose sight of land and all other boats for weeks at a time it feels unfathomably huge.
Each leg of this circumnavigation is run as a race and Kincsem was third on the last leg so the pressure is on for us to win this longest leg across the Pacific. Joerg likes to push hard and the crew are keen racers so game on! One should not underestimate what 2 determined Scots, and an Italian can accomplish on a boat. Pair that with a German skipper and its dynamite. The leg from the Galápagos Islands to the Marquesa Islands is one of the longest stretches of open ocean in the world, roughly 3000nm( 5556 kilometres for all of the landlubbers). We have been studying the weather routings and the current information and at this point anticipate that it will take us about 21 days. As critical as all of this meticulous preparation is, I am itching to go.
Tomorrow we pull up anchor and will leave the Galapagos at our backs and head South to try and pick up the trades before heading West. We have seen a massive band of squals on the weather models that we have been studying. If it’s accurate, one day out we will be in the thick of a band of squalls that will last for several days. When I am alone at the helm in the dark and a 45 knot squal blows through I know I will miss my fellow “squal Ryder “ from my first Atlantic crossing. We saw 52 knot winds at its peak. My friend and I still talk about those nights crossing the Atlantic when we were squal ryders flooded with adrenaline, killing ourselves laughing in the pitch black as the boat was surfing down the back of huge swells.
That’s all I’ve got for now, will connect back once we have untied the lines.
So no hope for me with the seasickness, after your
colourful description, the sharks would win out!
Maybe a dumb question from a non sailor, when you have time maybe explain how is the technology on this vessel (and the tethers & life vests) that will keep you as safe as possible? When alone at the helm and an issue needs immediate attention and another body, how do you raise the help from a sleeping sailor below deck? Is there an alarm system you can kick with your two hands gripping the wheel? I only know in a storm your shouting would be just a wee decibel mixing amongst the loud sounds created by the forceful winds, crashing seas and the torrential rains!
Stay safe, and enjoy!