Another mini milestone, another blog post. Today marks our halfway to halfway, that is approximately 1100nm from Horta. We have remained the light airs since the last post, necessitating us becoming well acquainted with the engine. After the strong progress under sail at the beginning of the trip, this initially came as a disappointment. However, it turns out there are some advantages to being becalmed, and we have been treated to many of the items of the ocean passage bucket list over the past few days.
The mercury like ocean has made for spectacular sunrises and sunsets reflected across its surface, as well magical phosphorescence on our undisturbed wake at night. Nature has come out to play, a pod of dolphins joined at sunset a couple of days ago and a larger pod of 25 joined us this morning, charging towards us from afar. Many a Portuguese o War Jellyfish are seen drifting by. A flatter boat allows for a broader range of activities to be undertaken. Our team work has been exercised with sail changes and a collaborative boat clean, the latter rewarded with our first Atlantic Ocean swim, a mere 5K deep and 500nm from land. First mate Bob has been patiently schooling us in celestial navigation (he even keeps the sextant in his bunk!). Efforts in the galley have ramped up, from freshly caught Mahi Mahi, to meatballs made at sea and more baking in between (it’s not getting competitive, promise).
So as we celebrate our milestone today, a low key affair with G&Ts and confit duck, we are in good spirits, revelling in the wonders the Atlantic Ocean is offering us. Our only wish would be for a little more wind to send Skyelark happily on her way east to Horta.
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