22 December 2022, Atlantic Ocean
Dear friends, family, and fellow enthusiasts,
We are currently sailing somewhere around one-third of the way from Cape Verde to Martinique. I am on the red watch, and we are having a great time. The past few days we’ve been on watch from 8 to 12, a nice stretch to start with. During the day we enjoy the sun, and at night we marvel at the starry sky while still getting good sleep. Tomorrow we switch to the 4 to 8 watch. That will take some getting used to, but it will be amazing to witness both sunrise and sunset.
The watches mostly involve: standing at the helm, walking the deck, serving each other during meals, a bit of cleaning, but mainly enjoying the sun or, in the evenings, the stars (and the many riddles and “black stories” that are told). In our free time we sleep a lot, but we also have plenty of time to read or listen to music.
In the past few days, we sailed quite quickly, maintaining the same course. Eventually, we would have ended up too far north, so it was time for a tack! This was fun to do; there were many tasks to perform, and everyone had a role. It went very smoothly, and for the next day or two we’ll be sailing with the sails on the opposite tack.
We have already learned a lot. Dewi gave us a sailing lesson, and Hein is teaching us about the stars and navigation. Soon I will learn something entirely different: baking bread. The food onboard is excellent. We eat a lot because we are physically active, but also secretly because it is just so delicious!
Around us, it’s mostly ocean. So far, we’ve enjoyed spectacular (shooting) stars, seen dolphins, and even spotted another boat. I secretly hope we’ll see a whale on this crossing. Jeroen has contacted another vessel headed to Martinique. The sunsets are perhaps the most unforgettable moments of the journey.
One thing I had to get used to is that the boat constantly moves up and down. Everything you do takes a bit more effort, which can be exhausting. During meals, we have “stabilizers” on the table to keep things in place, but still, on average, two water jugs fall per day, and everything rattles with each wave. I sleep with a plank against my bed so I don’t roll out. Sea sickness is manageable; anyone who had it has mostly recovered.
Yesterday, as part of our watch duties, we decorated the common room for Christmas. In a few days, we will have the onboard Christmas dinner. Preparations are underway (we occasionally hear Christmas songs from the kitchen), and the atmosphere is festive.
Cees has taken on another task: analyzing the estimated arrival date. We are playing a game guessing the day we will arrive in Martinique, and he has compared everyone’s predictions. It’s hard to estimate, but the average points to around New Year’s. So, for the next few days, we continue sailing. It would be great to reach an island before New Year’s, but that remains uncertain. The red watch wishes you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Best regards,
Sannah
On behalf of the Red Watch
After a daytime excursion on Sal Island, we departed in the evening for the long journey to Martinique.
With a total of 31 crew members, including 17 watchstanders divided over three watches, the white watch consists of five men and one quartermaster. Unlike shorter trips, the captain decided that we would follow a five-day watch schedule, with our first five nights as the “dog watch.” This gives us rest: we can nap until 11:30 a.m. and then again from 4:30 a.m., getting two deep REM cycles for proper recuperation.
We have a new cook onboard, understandably a bit nervous about the new role, but she is excellently guided by an experienced assistant cook known for her Béarnaise sauce. Overall, the galley performance is excellent; even we were nervous about the arrival of a new cook.
With the prevailing northeast trade winds, the ship sails west at a good pace, though the broadening wind gradually pushed us off our original course. As a result, the captain ordered a tack today, extending our 2,300-mile journey by a few hundred miles. All crew members were allowed to predict an arrival time at a distant longitude. The winner will receive 31 drink vouchers, redeemable for a round for the entire ship. Predictions were compiled into charts for different watches, age categories, and starboard/port sleepers. The crew is mostly in agreement, though they have prior information.
The first nights featured many shooting stars, though fewer now. We complained to the helmsman, who promised a few more to “shoot” tonight. We are curious!
We are an inquisitive watch. We discovered a peculiar vertical line on the chart at 37°00.000 W. It turns out to be the dividing line between two buoyage systems, IALA A (Europe) and IALA B (Americas). The expected line of buoys is now absent, making it virtual.
Christmas is rapidly approaching. The common room is tastefully decorated, including a LED-lit tree. There was some debate about which side (port or starboard) should host the Christmas dinner. Leaving it to the galley was not supported, so a different decision model was adopted: a vote. If tied, the captain casts the deciding vote. That’s the democracy of the Eendracht, and we comply.
A note on the new cook: she previously worked at a well-known fish restaurant on Vlieland. She likes cooking with fresh fish and asked us to deliver the flying fish we find on deck to the galley. She has a wonderful recipe from an old Chinese chef. We’re looking forward to it.
The engineer is on his final voyage for the Eendracht, which is a loss for the ship as he is skilled and amiable. By handling the sailing and avoiding the oil sail, we ease his workload a bit, though there are always tasks on the ship we don’t see. At least we save some oil.
We are now sailing on starboard, aiming to return to our original course. By undertaking this trip, we save a lot of energy costs at home. That alone is reason enough to join next time. We wish everyone happy holidays and will perhaps send more updates later.
Best regards,
The White Watch