The Third Night: November 21-22, 2023
A Clever Snack System for Calm Nights
The night was a bit rough, but with the jib and mainsail, we were well-equipped. A fast, large luxury yacht and a tanker passed us, but otherwise, the night was uneventful.
On calm nights at sea, the crew’s appetite grows significantly. That’s when the snack bag becomes a lifesaver. Thanks to Anna, we developed a clever system to enjoy these treats fairly and harmoniously on board.
At home, it’s not uncommon for someone to sneakily take another’s chocolate, causing some treats to disappear. On a boat, however, this would be catastrophic and emotionally unimaginable. There’s no store nearby to replenish supplies. The peace of the boat depends on it.
Anna’s brilliant idea: Each of us gets not just one, but several snack bags—one for each week of our journey. This has several advantages. Firstly, it prevents anyone from nibbling on others’ treats. Secondly, it ensures we don’t consume our entire supply in the first week. And the best part: Everyone gets exactly what they like. Anna prepared a snack bag for each of us for every week. I’m sure she packed the right goodies for each of us, as she knows our preferences well.
My snack tally for today: rice cakes with dark chocolate, some After Eights, and a delicious nut mix. With such snacks, the night watch at sea is wonderfully enjoyable.
I must say, Anna came up with a fantastic system that makes our journey even sweeter and more pleasant.
Wind and Waves: The Day Brings Challenges and Relaxation
After my night watch ended, we experienced a lull in the wind, forcing us to start the engine again. This is always a noisy affair, making sleep impossible.
A few hours later, we were able to set the sails again, this time the Code 0.
Our feathered visitor has flown away. I assume it no longer needed shelter as the sea calmed and the wind subsided. Result: half a banana was pecked away. We will all miss our little bird. We had just gotten used to our new pet.
Unfortunately, Nicolas strained his back while eagerly adjusting the fishing equipment. But we are well-equipped for such emergencies. Arnica cream, Arnica C 200 globules, and a hot water bottle helped him, and by evening he was feeling much better.
In the afternoon, we were able to set the Wingaker again. With Nicolas out of action, Anna had to step in and quickly learn how to do it. I had no doubt she could handle it just like her brother.
Our headsets ensured everything went smoothly. We were all connected via headsets, including Nicolas, who could stay informed and provide verbal guidance. These headsets are called “Marriage Savers,” and for good reason. They have often saved us from family conflicts—they are true “Family Savers” for us.
In the evening, we were rewarded with a glorious sunset. Our blue Wingaker against the blue sky looked like a gateway to paradise, as Peter aptly remarked. The sailing was relaxed and the mood was wonderful. These moments are the reward for the tiring night watches and all the other efforts associated with such an adventure. Simply fantastic.
In the evening, we enjoyed the delicious Mahi Mahi that Nicolas caught for us. It was fried crispy and didn’t taste fishy at all, more like chicken. Even Anna, who usually doesn’t like fish, found it excellent.
The evening ended with a round of Skip-Bo for Anna and me. As usual, Anna won hands down, beating me soundly in the 5th round. Touché.
With the Wingaker downwind sail, we continued into the night.
Culinary Delights Day 3:
- Lunch: Bavarian potato salad with crispy toast
- Dinner: Fried Mahi Mahi with Anna’s special fried potatoes
It’s interesting that you have decided to take 3 hour watches, which of course seems logical as it neatly divides each day into two x 3 hour watches each. I prefer a four hour watch system with four people on board, as it means that over the course of a week everyone slowly adjusts to a different watch time. As I read the next entries I will be interested to see if you adjust your watch times.