We are Voyaging
06/22/2014
This morning I told EW that this cruising life was "interesting". He knew that wasn't necessarily a good thing, but chose to focus on my terminology. "We aren't cruising. We are voyaging."
You might ask what the difference is, as did I. "Voyaging is what you do to get to places where you can cruise."
Oh. Well voyaging is different and "interesting" and certainly not for everybody. Yesterday I wasn't sure whether or not it was for me, but 6 hours of sound sleep changed my perspective. A bit.
This is one of the few times in life where you hope for boring. Boring means no major breakdowns, big storms, grounding, collisions, pirates -- you get the idea. We don't have to worry about groudings or pirates out here, and we've only seen one distant tanker, two birds, and a floating ball since we left the Caribbean Sea. Boring is good but it's .. well .. boring.
I requested "interaction" time with EW for the rest of the trip. This is truly a solitary experience, as not only are we the only two people out here right now, but we have opposite watch/sleep times and few times together for conversation. We read a lot -- both on watch and some off. I am working on building writing time into my "schedule", and as the chief cook and bottle washer at least 2 - 4 hours of my off watches are taken up with chef and steward duties. EW reads and sleeps off watch and has done a couple of small boat maintenance things -- by choice.
This is a solitary experience.
The other day while exploring why I so willing agreed to do this, I asked EW why he wanted to cross the Atlantic. He thought for a while and provided two answers, "For the solace and for the challenge." I can accept that. The challenges for me are different that his, and this forced solitary confinement certainly provides one the opportunity to think and reflect. We know nothing of what is going on in the world right now, and not much about what is going on with friends and family, and I have to let that go and focus inward. (Not my best thing -- right Rhoda and Lynnelle?) I usually do my best thinking out loud.
Still, I do love the Cruising life, and while I don't live Voyaging so far, I don't hate it either. We have a phrase aboard La Luna usually spoken in the cockpit over cocktails during a spectacular sunset, "This does not suck." Clearly, at those moments "does not suck" is an understatement. Right now, that's all I can say about the Voyaging life -- "This does not suck." (Sometimes it does come close to sucking, however.)
Still happy to be here and looking forward to the Azores. And a restaurant. And wine. And people -- lots of people.
After we shower.
As of 2:00 PM AST\1400 AST\1800 UTC, on June 21, 2014, we are at 25 48.173 North and 59 36.978 West.
Good morning. I couldn't get a clear channel to send this on the 21st, so will try again today, the 22nd. EW set the whisker pole this morning. The process needs work, but ultimately we are able to go just off the wind on our preferred course with the jib held out on a pole so it catches more wind. EW has hopes that we can hold this all the way to the Azores. It's possible. This whisker pole is another thing on a long list under the title of "EW's Master Planning". He had a whisker pole on his list for La Luna long before we took off and was delighted when sailor, pilot, and photographer extraodinaire, Jack Nordby offered us a pole he no longer had use for. EW paid to have it rigged for the boat and for the boat to be rigged for the pole, and there it hung for over 4 years, unused. Before we left Sint Maarten, EW spent an afternoon tweaking and fine tuning, and greasing pole and mast parts, and now we are sailing to the Azores, sailing mostly downwind with the sails hardly flapping. Life is good. I do love EW.
You might ask what the difference is, as did I. "Voyaging is what you do to get to places where you can cruise."
Oh. Well voyaging is different and "interesting" and certainly not for everybody. Yesterday I wasn't sure whether or not it was for me, but 6 hours of sound sleep changed my perspective. A bit.
This is one of the few times in life where you hope for boring. Boring means no major breakdowns, big storms, grounding, collisions, pirates -- you get the idea. We don't have to worry about groudings or pirates out here, and we've only seen one distant tanker, two birds, and a floating ball since we left the Caribbean Sea. Boring is good but it's .. well .. boring.
I requested "interaction" time with EW for the rest of the trip. This is truly a solitary experience, as not only are we the only two people out here right now, but we have opposite watch/sleep times and few times together for conversation. We read a lot -- both on watch and some off. I am working on building writing time into my "schedule", and as the chief cook and bottle washer at least 2 - 4 hours of my off watches are taken up with chef and steward duties. EW reads and sleeps off watch and has done a couple of small boat maintenance things -- by choice.
This is a solitary experience.
The other day while exploring why I so willing agreed to do this, I asked EW why he wanted to cross the Atlantic. He thought for a while and provided two answers, "For the solace and for the challenge." I can accept that. The challenges for me are different that his, and this forced solitary confinement certainly provides one the opportunity to think and reflect. We know nothing of what is going on in the world right now, and not much about what is going on with friends and family, and I have to let that go and focus inward. (Not my best thing -- right Rhoda and Lynnelle?) I usually do my best thinking out loud.
Still, I do love the Cruising life, and while I don't live Voyaging so far, I don't hate it either. We have a phrase aboard La Luna usually spoken in the cockpit over cocktails during a spectacular sunset, "This does not suck." Clearly, at those moments "does not suck" is an understatement. Right now, that's all I can say about the Voyaging life -- "This does not suck." (Sometimes it does come close to sucking, however.)
Still happy to be here and looking forward to the Azores. And a restaurant. And wine. And people -- lots of people.
After we shower.
As of 2:00 PM AST\1400 AST\1800 UTC, on June 21, 2014, we are at 25 48.173 North and 59 36.978 West.
Good morning. I couldn't get a clear channel to send this on the 21st, so will try again today, the 22nd. EW set the whisker pole this morning. The process needs work, but ultimately we are able to go just off the wind on our preferred course with the jib held out on a pole so it catches more wind. EW has hopes that we can hold this all the way to the Azores. It's possible. This whisker pole is another thing on a long list under the title of "EW's Master Planning". He had a whisker pole on his list for La Luna long before we took off and was delighted when sailor, pilot, and photographer extraodinaire, Jack Nordby offered us a pole he no longer had use for. EW paid to have it rigged for the boat and for the boat to be rigged for the pole, and there it hung for over 4 years, unused. Before we left Sint Maarten, EW spent an afternoon tweaking and fine tuning, and greasing pole and mast parts, and now we are sailing to the Azores, sailing mostly downwind with the sails hardly flapping. Life is good. I do love EW.
You two have a safe, fun filled trip and love reading your posts!! take pictures when you can, I travel with you in spirit!!
Posted by: Lynda Leonard | 06/23/2014 at 12:25 PM