Crossing the equator
After the doldrums, 12 minutes from the Equator and heading for Brasil!
Yesterday me and Pieter did all we could to convince Benjamin it was a good idea to stop over at Fernando de Noronha, an island about 200 miles off the Brazilian coast. We have some good excuses to do that. First of all, it really breaks the trip, so good for moral. Pieter can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, which will save us from eating can food, something Benjamin has bad experience with haha.
We don't know much about the place but have all the the time of the world and heard only positive things about it in the Canaries and Cabo Verde, so no reason not to pass..
The island would be special and beautiful. We don't know how many people live there, but there is a lighthouse, which would most unlikely be operated by imported monkeys. We are all dreaming about Brazilians in yellow bikinis anyway!
Another bonus is that we will arrive there just before New Years eve, so even if there is nobody there, we could just crack open our bottle of champagne on the beach and throw a tuna or even some lobsters on a barby.
Cabo Verde was special too. When we arrived there with a 24 hour Visa from customs we were so excited. After landing in a wooden boat rowed by two locals, we headed straight to the bar for beer and cigarettes, socializing with everybody who crossed our path. People are very nice and friendly on the islands. They speak Creole, a mixture of Portuguese and probably African. It's funny how they use a lot of "ksch" in between. You can speak any language there, English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, it's one big mix. CafÈ au Lait. A gene pool. I love it.
I wish Cabo Verdo good luck in the future, there is a lot of poverty, but people have their heart at the right place.
The Doldrums? Right, I think it's just a myth. No, but thinking about the stories of days and days with no wind, mirrored water and burning sunshine, we just didn't have anything of it all. We had wind, sometimes squalls, which we can track nicely on the radar, and mostly a covered sky. Only since last night the sky broke open again, steady now, with an amazing view on the Milky Way making you feel really small.
We are sailing in perfect conditions with white puffy clouds during daytime now, top. Things have been different upon departure.. The first days we had to engine our way South with clouded skies. Everybody was a bit grumpy, struggling with bioritms and getting used to each others habbits. Personally, after all the sailing on racing boats, I was frustrated about the performance of "Geronimo". Stuffed with diesel, water and food, she's just heavy causing a big lag in her reaction when driving her. Fact accepted now.
Benjamin is also more relaxed now with more trust in our crew.
So in a few hours we'll pass the equator! Traditionally this event is celebrated with a visit from Neptunus. I am sneakily gathering together the ingredients for the baptism now: handheld GPS for countdown, Absolut Vodka and sharkteeth for offering, water and flower just to make a mess, shaving soap and the broom as trident to dress up like Neptunus, it will be fun!!
Yesterday me and Pieter did all we could to convince Benjamin it was a good idea to stop over at Fernando de Noronha, an island about 200 miles off the Brazilian coast. We have some good excuses to do that. First of all, it really breaks the trip, so good for moral. Pieter can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, which will save us from eating can food, something Benjamin has bad experience with haha.
We don't know much about the place but have all the the time of the world and heard only positive things about it in the Canaries and Cabo Verde, so no reason not to pass..
The island would be special and beautiful. We don't know how many people live there, but there is a lighthouse, which would most unlikely be operated by imported monkeys. We are all dreaming about Brazilians in yellow bikinis anyway!
Another bonus is that we will arrive there just before New Years eve, so even if there is nobody there, we could just crack open our bottle of champagne on the beach and throw a tuna or even some lobsters on a barby.
Cabo Verde was special too. When we arrived there with a 24 hour Visa from customs we were so excited. After landing in a wooden boat rowed by two locals, we headed straight to the bar for beer and cigarettes, socializing with everybody who crossed our path. People are very nice and friendly on the islands. They speak Creole, a mixture of Portuguese and probably African. It's funny how they use a lot of "ksch" in between. You can speak any language there, English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, it's one big mix. CafÈ au Lait. A gene pool. I love it.
I wish Cabo Verdo good luck in the future, there is a lot of poverty, but people have their heart at the right place.
The Doldrums? Right, I think it's just a myth. No, but thinking about the stories of days and days with no wind, mirrored water and burning sunshine, we just didn't have anything of it all. We had wind, sometimes squalls, which we can track nicely on the radar, and mostly a covered sky. Only since last night the sky broke open again, steady now, with an amazing view on the Milky Way making you feel really small.
We are sailing in perfect conditions with white puffy clouds during daytime now, top. Things have been different upon departure.. The first days we had to engine our way South with clouded skies. Everybody was a bit grumpy, struggling with bioritms and getting used to each others habbits. Personally, after all the sailing on racing boats, I was frustrated about the performance of "Geronimo". Stuffed with diesel, water and food, she's just heavy causing a big lag in her reaction when driving her. Fact accepted now.
Benjamin is also more relaxed now with more trust in our crew.
So in a few hours we'll pass the equator! Traditionally this event is celebrated with a visit from Neptunus. I am sneakily gathering together the ingredients for the baptism now: handheld GPS for countdown, Absolut Vodka and sharkteeth for offering, water and flower just to make a mess, shaving soap and the broom as trident to dress up like Neptunus, it will be fun!!
