Ahoy pirates! The batten cars are back on track, the jib roller is fixed, and after getting the ever-charming toilet pumps to behave themselves again, Mona Lisa is shipshape once again. Sure, we’re one crew member down, but our spirits are high as we set course for the English Channel.
On the morning of October 30, in Den Helder, we set sail without a specific harbour in mind for our next stop. All right, we didn't really set sail—or rather, we tried to—but the low winds during the daytime (between one and two Beaufort) forced us to motor for the majority of the channel crossing. As I mentioned in the first post, the grand idea of a ‘nonstop’ journey to Tenerife was quickly interrupted by reality. With one less crew member on board, things have gotten a bit tougher, especially when it comes to the all-important steering-sleeping shifts.
Luckily, after the stormy endeavour of the first leg, the weather conditions are now much calmer, with smooth eastern and north-eastern winds during night—perfect Gennaker conditions. And as long as our spirits are still high, we do what sailors do best: adjust our sails to Mother Nature’s will. Two big forces—hers and ours. What better adventure could we ask for?
Let’s be honest… we’ve been pretty lucky with our Channel crossing. It’s been so smooth that we even had time to play some rounds of chess in the cockpit! Just in case anyone’s wondering what we do all day besides navigating, adjusting and fine tuning the sails.
Curious, about who won the game and which harbour we stranded in - or should I say 'dove' into - next?
Keep your binoculars sharp, track our position on MarineTraffic, and we’ll catch up soon. Fair winds to us all until then!
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