16:23.34S 004:41.52W Land Ahoy, Almost!

Irene IV - World Adventure
Louis Goor
Tue 24 Jan 2023 12:42
Land Ahoy, Almost!

With 90 miles left to travel before making landfall in James Bay, St.
Helena, there is a sense of anticipation about the crew. It has been a very
pleasant and relatively benign passage. True, Bonga turned 23, the fuel was
a little dirty, and we ate too much cake, but other than these it has been a
passage easy on the mood and easy on the stomach. With a schedule to keep,
our stopover will be quick. We need to refuel, scrub below and above decks,
do piles of laundry, and provision for the long 10-13-day passage ahead
bound for Salvador on the east coast of Brazil.

What does the crew have to say about our time aboard so far:

Rob: Happily, uneventful! We have seen very little, in 1,700 we have passed
4 vessels - one sailing yacht, and 3 cargo ships. I have enjoyed teaching
Liz and Bonga some of the secrets of sailing. They have been willing and
receptive pupils. The more we all know the safer it is for us all.

Bonga: Very exciting! My first long voyage ever. I saw my first flying fish
on the way to Namibia. Since then, we have seen schools of them and have
found a few suicidal ones, perished on the deck. Maintenance on the move was
surprising to me. Unlike in a car, we don't stop the engine, work on it, and
then get going again. It all happens while the boat is moving and pitching.

Liz: It has been a wonderful passage so far, quite chilly at the beginning,
but it warmed up as the days went by. It took a minute for me to get used to
life back at sea but after a few days the routine kicks in and the days
blend together in a nice and peaceful way. We have a great crew onboard and
the food has been amazing, something to look forward to throughout day. Have
had some really nice starry nights during night watch, which has also been
cool to see. Looking forward to getting to St. Helena and onward to Brazil.

Giles: A relatively easy introduction back to sailing after such a long
stopover in Cape Town. The Atlantic providing stark contrast to the tough,
ever changing, conditions on my previous legs in the Indian ocean. While
it's been a challenge keeping the boat speed up at times it has been a
pleasant and relaxing passage with conditions allowing games of Qwirke and
wonderful meals to be had with everything staying on the cockpit table!
Looking forward to stretching the legs in St. Helena before we are off again
before long!

In the middle of the night on the 23rd January, we crossed the Greenwich
meridian from an easterly to a westerly longitude, and now we are on GMT or,
as it is more commonly known, UTC time.

And now we are 62 miles away! Awaiting the cry of, "Land ahoy!"