Part 4/6 Atlantic Crossing West – East in aphrodisiac grey RONDÉE ATLANTIQUE

Our Atlantic crossing West-East on Aaron’s daily English expressions in aphrodisiac grey😘

Written: Horta, Azores 🌍38° 32N 028° 38‘W 📅Fr 22.05.26 🕗15:15 (17:15)* 🌬S0-1 🌥cloudy🌡️15°C 🌊calm ⚓️laundry city center 🧭reparing, cleaning and clearing before heading to Ireland

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Slow energy management

16 Su 10th of May starts with light wind 2–3 bft and little speed 2–3 knots in the early morning. That means only a little progress checking the distance to go like a watched pot, that never boils. But the wind rises again in the late morning and we run 6 knots all cloudy day. Highlight is a dolphin visiting us just before sundown.

A watched pot never boils.

Cold aphrodisiac grey😘

17 It’s feeling really cold Mo 11th of May with 20⁰C, 4 bft wind in an aphrodisiac grey. We invented a night-shift berth inside. Warmer and less hard than outside in the cockpit, but harder to stand up every 20 min. While we are running to reach the Azores hopefully seven days later, Aaron is dragging his feet to arrive on Bermuda – later than he could – tomorrow morning at daylight. As Sealife increases with more Portuguese Galeeres, spotted whale fountains and sailors passing, we start fishing again. Then we recognize: The keel water is full of a kind of blueish shining bubbles!?

I’m dragging my feet.

Overflowing sealife

18th day on the ocean Tu 12th of May and about 7 more to go. I can’t imagine. I can’t describe. All the time: Water, waves, sky, clouds, sun, stars, moon. Today: Amazing amount of Portuguese Galeeres blinking by reflecting the sunlight transparent slightly pink-violet. And several times dolphins come along for a visit. About teatime lots of them accompanying us for a long time, small ones – with a kind of freckles on the belly – swimming, diving, quickly like rabbits through the waves. In the night again the sparkling sea with bioluminescence like thousands falling stars. Oh, a red light! A nearby ship!? No, just a short spot of a rising red moon within the clouds and gone.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.

Repetition of "pot and cake"

19 We 13th of May is a repetition day: Some Portuguese men of war, dolphins‘ short visit. We have a strong wind up to 17 knots to run a good speed, only the waves are holding us back. I spot an unknown large fish with a ripped fin. But no whale, who we intend to see as a watched pot never boils. Supper takes the cake today. We created a leftover provision receipt with couscous, lenses, dried tomatoes in oil and the secret ingredient: Fine cutted onions marinaded in honey.

A watched pot never boils.
That takes the cake.

Twiddling thumbs!?

20 We are stretching for the line to the Azores the 14th of May. Strong wind lets us run. Just, our final sprint feels more like a hurdles race over the waves – in sheep wool socks. Where some hurdles break on the hull and splash over deck. The last defence against the gloves fall in a grey misty rain. How to twiddle my thumbs now!?;-D

Stretching for the line.
Twiddling the thumbs

Always safe travels, pleasant winds, and friendly seas wishes

Silvi with Hendrik
sailing …by the winD

⛵️live slow – die old⚓️

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