Getting used
Around the Atlantic: ✔ Next stop: Circumnavigation
Ron Noordhoek
Sun 23 Jan 2022 22:36
Sunday January 23
We’re a 2 days out at sea now.
It always takes some time to get used to a new boat and crew.
I never sailed on a cat this big before. It’s a floating hotel actually, very luxurious, very comfortable.
It’s the motion I have to get used to. A monohull heels and has a steady roll with the waves. This cat doesn’t heel at all but it moves around like a drunken elephant as Ian likes to put it.
I skipped the sashimi of the fish we caught just a few hrs after we left Mindelo and just had some salad for dinner. It didn’t help much though. An hour or so later I was feeding the fish but then I was totally fine again.
I also hand steered a bit to find out how this boat would feel. In short: it doesn’t. It has an hydraulic steering system so you don’t feel the boat at all. So the autopilot will be on all the way.
Alex and Ian are really nice guys and very competent and professional sailors. They also enjoy sailing and I’m happy to say that from the start we get along real fine!
The owners, John and Nicole are really nice people too!
The first impression you get of John is a typically ‘loud American’, but that’s not true at all. He sometimes is loud but that’s because his hearing. When there’s music or any kind of noise, he speaks very loud because he just can’t hear himself so good. Nicole then gently strikes his arm as in turning down the volume :-)
The other night John admitted that he’s scared. Going to all those new places and countries. And at the same time he is very eager to learn and really wants to go for the adventure. Wanting to have an open mind and at the same time being in control all the time, isn’t easy.
Nicole is such a nice and friendly woman. She’s claimed to be the least experienced sailor and miles wise she is. At the same time she knows exactly what’s going on and what and why we’re doing.
She’s the chef on this trip and she’s very good at it. She makes delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. She also does the dishes. Since she’s not included in the watch system, she feels that that’s here watch.
She comes op on the bridge nevertheless to hold John and us company and helps with reefing and stuff.
Together they form a real great couple, always friendly and very respectful to ach other. Together they really enjoy the trip and want to make the most out of it.
It’s a great trip and I enjoy it very much.