June 20 — Here are a few videos of us crossing the equator, narrated by Captain John.
And a video of dolphins escorting us.
June 19 — Arrived early this afternoon. Grenada is a nice but typical American/Canadian tourist spot. They’ve got KFC and McD here!
It rained hard today.
Today’s storm…and our last one!
Beautiful sunset shots on Grenada…
June 15 — When I got to my bunk last night, I found, to my horror, my bed was soaked. In my haste and excitement earlier, I had pulled the hatch shut but closed it with a crack left open. The fast winds and brutal swells soon sprayed their way through the crack and left my mattress soaked. Fortunately, I brought my thermarest with me and could sleep on that. BE SURE YOUR HATCHES ARE CLOSED TIGHT IN STORMY CONDITIONS!!!
Today is my day off. I’ve got everything strung up in my room to attempt to dry. It looks like a laundry business. Please let us know if you’d like starch in your collars!
June 14 — Just before I went on shift at midnight, some dolphins scared a school of flying fish at the front of the boat and a couple of them flew down my hatch! Imagine flopping, stinking fish hitting your face while you’re sleeping!! Axel and John laughed their asses off. I picked fish scales off me and my bed for a while.
Then, right after my shift, my toilet stopped working. It’s not clogged or anything but the “out” button no longer works. I spent the morning cleaning it all out and now I can’t use it.
This isn’t the most comfortable boat right now. Axel’s hatch was open and a big wave pounded it and soaked his bed but we mopped it up. You pay a price in waviness and rockin’ and rollin’ when you go 13 knots. I’ve never moved so fast in a sailboat! Winds are at 25 knots and all over the place. It’s been a rough day and we expect it will be like this for another day and a half. Hanging in there!
June 13 — Another gorgeous morning today! I enjoyed my coffee and granola while the autohelm whirred away and the sea swell pounded the boat. I realized I’d been wearing the same bathing suit for six days straight. Hmmm. Still pretty comfy. I’ll need a second opinion on the smell if I can just think of a delicate way to ask hahaha! This is life on the boat!
Go Raptors!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 12 — It was a rocky fast boat ride this morning, 7 to 8 knots! It looks like we’ve skipped right over the doldrums! The stillest the sea will get for me is yesterday I guess. We also managed to miss a storm that had been brewing earlier this evening. Just cloudy and very windy but no lightening nor rain.
Our Grenada destination is confirmed! The mooring is booked and as soon as I arrive, I’ll book my flight home! It means saving a day and a half.
A single dolphin came to keep me company. He appeared all alone but still wanted to play. So he swam with the boat for about five minutes.
June 11 – We went through a 300-metre seaweed/plastic floating island. It is heartbreaking! Then we were escorted by about 30 dolphins for about 10 minutes which was truly spectacular! The ocean is an undulating emotional roller coaster.
June 10 — We’ve just crossed into a new time zone! We are now just one hour ahead. Getting closer!!!!
With the motor running, you just point the boat and let it go. Nothing really to monitor when you’re on shift at all. The drone of the motor puts me to sleep and makes me feel tired during a watch. Good to get some shut-eye before a night shift for sure. That’s where I’m heading now. Zzzzz
June 9 — We’re going so slow (3 knots) that we’ve now started motoring (7 knots). It’s noisy but not smelly. You get used to the steady drone. It looks like Grenada may be our next destination. It’s a little closer with regularly scheduled flights. This is where my journey will possibly end. Work beckons! Marina space is a difficulty though. We’re waiting for word.
Three nautical miles from the equator.
According to Captain John, it’s tradition to cut each other’s hair upon crossing the equator. I’ve got great plans for Axel’s or Cracker’s noggins. Stay tuned for some great styling portraits that will undoubtedly be imitated at salons everywhere.
I’m actually thinking this is a raw deal since Cracker and I have the most hair. You decide based on a game of rock, paper, scissors. I’m trying to find places to hide!
Another tradition/superstition we’re observing is tossing coins and a lock of hair into the sea in tribute to Neptune for his protection. Poseidon gets stiffed I guess. The ceremony has been completed and a great video will be coming your way once we’re in cellular range. Part of the ceremony was Cracker and I being dragged across the equator the last 200 meters. I’m nice and clean now!!
June 8 — We’re 63 nautical miles south of the equator right now. We’ll probably cross it tomorrow.
It looks like we’ll be hitting zero wind in two days. Then we will be motoring for two days to get through the no-wind (ITCZ – Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) or doldrums. I can’t imagine an ocean without waves! Pictures to come.
Change in strategy: We’re headed north now. The idea is to maximize the wind we have now to get north of the doldrums before they hit us. We’ll still likely become becalmed, but for less time hopefully.
We are suddenly encountering bunches of weeds. The generator sucks in sea water for coolant; same with the fridge and freezer. So we’re monitoring things closely.
June 7 — Because you asked, Mom! Made Ascension Island banana bread that can only be made with Ascension Island bananas. They did ripen eventually. Oh so good!
June 6 — Adieu Fernando!!! We set sail at about 6pm. Antigua will be the longest stretch between land yet. We figure about 15 days or 2147 nautical miles! On the midnight shift.