21:06.0N 20:39.0W

With the wind picking up, a slight overcast and the temperature rising, it was another calm, routine day in the life of the Enigma crew. It was spent under motor for the first part of the day, but we were able to hoist the sails for the latter part as we head further south towards Cape Verde.

In terms of daily novelties, there was not much to speak of, and the crew doesn’t seem to mind much. This idle time has allowed for us to tend to things that often lose priority in the daily bustle of our lives on land. We read, learn new things, watch new movies (Scorsese’s ‘Casino’ in yesterday’s case), reflect and enjoy each other’s company.

With this theme in mind, every crew member was asked what this trip has allowed him to do so far:

Manuel Sr.: “I have been able to read ‘Paths of Glory’ by Jeffrey Archer. It is about the first expedition to Mount Everest, attempted by the British in 1922. I have enjoyed it very much. Furthermore, comparing what the actual sail is to what I thought it would be has really highlighted the importance of planning for a trip like this. I will certainly have more to say about this point as the trip goes along, as there have not been too many surprises so far. I have also been thinking a lot about the journey and what lies ahead.”

Ze: “First of all, I have been able to sleep a little more! On top of logging the miles we are doing every day, I have also been doing some reading. I am still trying to read Henry Kissinger’s ‘Diplomacy’, a book that I started reading 10 years ago. Pena has also started reading it, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to finish. Now, I am reading a little book about radio -- and pray every night for the wind to come!”

Penaforte: “I have always thought about being at sea for a long time -- and I thought it would be a good time to gain knowledge about myself. So while we may be crossing the Atlantic, it has also been a trip inside ourselves -- like most of the trips that we take.”

Boyan: “This trip has allowed me to take advantage of many things. I am learning about 10-15 phrases a day in my Portuguese phrase book and I read about 10 pages a day of Steve Sleight’s ‘The New Complete Sailing Manual.’ This routine is in order for me to learn as much as possible about this new setting that I am in. I also just finished reading Yann Martel’s ‘The Life of Pi’ – an outlandish book with insights that I very much relate to. Finally, I have had the time to reflect on my next steps following this trip.”

Manel: “I have finished Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s, ‘A Sombra do Vento’ -- a great book that was recommended to me by a good friend from University. I started reading it quite some time ago and am happy to have finally finished it. I have also been thinking about how this trip has influenced me. From a sailing standpoint, I now feel like I could take the boat around Portugal comfortably – as I have learnt a lot from the last 3 weeks of sailing. Personally, I feel that I am learning to be more patient, enjoying the smaller things in life and becoming more easy going. Since we are only 5 on the boat, I believe that this is very important if we are to enjoy each others company to the fullest. Furthermore, I am making movies and taking photos in anticipation of documenting this trip in several ways following our arrival. I have also been thinking a lot about what I want to do following University, as I still feel strongly about leaving Portugal and possibly heading to London!”

To go back to Pena’s segment, everyone’s ‘trip within’ is clearly different in their own ways. This diversity is why it has been great to be a part of this crew.

Look out for tomorrow’s blog entry, as we will have crossed a milestone that you may be interested in!

Until then,

The Enigma Crew.