BLOG 9

As we left Ascension we headed due West towards Brazil picking up the SE Trade Winds which would drive us North towards the Equator. The weather turned favourable in terms of the wind and making ground, but with it came the rain, squalls and storms and together with the big swell, it made for a very rocky ride. This was punctuated by searing sunshine and high humidity, and hence we were all subjected to uncomfortable mix of wet, damp, steam and dry many times throughout the day.

The sea regularly sluices through the gunnels and the main deck gets an impromptu wash every few seconds. In consequence this has brought about a shift in fashion sense by those individuals who insist on wearing open top sandals......with socks !! What’s that all that about? I tell you its like wearing a thong and then putting a pair of big pants on top, a complete contradiction in terms. Anyway one could tell by the tide marks how many days socks had been worn and the finger pointing gradually coerced these individuals to expose their feet, warts (or callouses) and all.

We are all familiar with seaside shops selling T Shirts, mugs, car stickers and the like adorned with motifs such as ‘Lumberjacks do it in the trees’ or ‘Astronauts do it in space’. Well in the mens toilet on the foredeck there is a picture of a sailor sat on the loo together with the words ‘ Sailors do it sitting down’ which of course we all ignore... we are men god dammit!!!!,...... and anyway its great fun aiming at a moving target. However whilst playing water pistols one evening the ship got hit by a big wave and I was suddenly thrown forward and because my hands were otherwise engaged, I was powerless to break the fall. As I fell forward I smacked my forehead against the bulkhead directly where this sailors‘advice’ was positioned. This resulted in me making a little mess of myself and having to get down on my knees with that damned toilet paper again. Together with the ‘ghoulash incident’ it has now occurred to me that ships toilets are dangerous places and that advice, no matter how seemingly trivial, should be adhered to, its obviously there for a reason. As such for the remainder of the voyage I shall be sitting down which will also save me having to look the sailor in the face, who now seems to have acquired a ‘told you so’ cheeky grin.

The ships crew comprise more experienced sailors ‘the permanent crew’, and the remainder of which are trainees, the group in which I fall. Of course trainees aspire to be the former and enthusiastically get involved in a number of ship’s activities to gain the necessary experience. I have been learning to repair the sails, a job akin to darning socks in ‘The Borrowers,’ and remarkably I have become very competent. Having successfully sewed the seam of one of the jib sails I strutted around the ship for a little while thereafter, tweaking ropes and checking the radar with an aired confidence. The night had drawn in and I suddenly caught sight of a Cruise ship on the horizon and as the ‘look out’ had clearly not reported this sighting I thought I would steal a march to win some extra brownie points, scurrying to the Wheel House to inform the Mate. “Just thought I would let you know there is a cruise ship 140 degrees south east”. The Mate took out his binoculars, looked, paused for a moment, and quipped “Would that be the cruise ship called the Moon”......... Doh!! Back to square one again.

On the 18th May we reported for our watch at twelve midnight and emerged from below already warned by the crew waking us up, to expect a busy and wet watch. We donned our waterproof gear and two of us made our way to the helm, it was pitch black and the wind and driving rain together with the rolling motion, made for a treacherous trek. We were in a large squall, ever changing, potentially dangerous, and treated by all with the utmost respect. The mate was bellowing out a new course every couple of minutes and my colleague and I were frantically moving the wheel port and starboard and at the same time desperately trying to keep the compass visible from the torrential rain which was filling up the housing. The rain never abated and as we fell into our bunks at 4.00am we were exhausted and sodden.

At 2.00pm the same day the rain stopped and we were treated to the rare sight of a rainbow forming on the surface of the sea, a glittering array of horizontal colours all stacked upon top of each other. It gradually rose into the sky and formed a perfect arc across the horizon. We were by now virtually becalmed and we were grateful for the opportunity to jump into the sea to cool down and have some fun. We were soon joined by a large school of spinner dolphins keen to interact, and they showed off their agility by throwing a few somersaults and back flips. Such was the moment that our swimming session was longer than usual, nobody wanting to cut short this amazing experience and I guess the dolphins were keen for us to stay too. You often hear people say that they would like to swim with dolphins but to actually do it freely and spontaneously in the middle of the Atlantic was exhilarating.

We took our evening meal on the main deck, ostrich, springbok and sausage supplemented by rice dishes, beans, home made chutneys and the like, and followed by semolina, an interesting mix but nonetheless delicious. We all wanted to take in the spectacular sunset as we ate, the high clouds appeared to be spewing out molten lava which flowed across the whole of the evening sky and the view was enhanced by the glassy sea reflecting all above it. The net effect was similar to looking into a cauldron of fire.

After another four hours watch I took my bedding to the boat deck and lay looking up at the stars, the view occasionally blocked by the huge billowing sails. Unfettered by artificial light, all the constellations were perfectly clear, The Southern Star, Orions Belt, Scorpio to name but a couple and all contrasted by the swathe of stars which make up the Milky Way. The dolphins could be heard all around the ship and together with the smell of freshly baked bread wafting from the galley vents I quickly fell into a deep sleep.

If you have ever wondered why I sail these beautiful ships, then perhaps the day I have just described, satisfies your curiosity.

Doddy