Category: Bark Europa

Week 8.

Week 8.

Oh wow! Time flies! More than 5800 nM later, 48 days since Cape Town and only 3 page left in the Log book before we should arive in Horta -Azores-!

Can I smell land?

This will be such a change to be alongside a quay again and stepping off the vessel!
Although I do not mind long sailing legs, my body does need quite some new challenges to fit in my pair of trousers… 48 days of comfy shorts, extremly good meals ~not regretting!~ the memory of my last run on the beach in Ascension…

Never get bored of sunsets

Two days only in Horta: I will make time to run, give calls, update social media, do my taxes, go to the supermarket, sleep…. on my short time off before goong back ontrack for the next to weeks at sea till Rouen.

Hopefully the mate doing the schedule will be kind to us! Oh wait it’s me! And… there is so much to do in so little time for the ship! Some things cannot be compressed in time sadly: checking in and out of voyage crew, deep cabin clean, provisionning, garbage and bunkering, familiarizing new crew, handovers… once again this will be a busy week!

Dolphins are always nice

I am glad I have already been to Horta a few times and will be able to go straight to my target places without any time fustration, to enjoy as much as possible this piece of paradise! I am very much looking forward to hear from the people I Love!

Week 7.

Week 7.

Before you say anything, I got a safetyline in my face! My lip got a crust but i look better now no need for surgery haha 😉

A happy chief officer

You can really feel it has been 7 weeks we left Cape Town. The permanent crew rocks and roll and if wake ups start getting harder with swedish watch it is also because we stay up longer in the evening to enjoy the sunset.

Evening sunsets, waiting for the magical green flash

As we have been sailing more north west, ship’s time remained on UTC as the sun’s local time kept on pushing its sunset later and later. Quite a few very special green flashes have been spotted, the hope of seeing another one -even better- or just enjoying the amazing view has kept us up enjoying eachother’s company.. Gezellig like we say in dutch!

The voyage crew has had more challenges as for most its the first time so long at sea cut from home family and friends. Boredom and different expectations made them realize getting more involved in ships’ life and accepting others as they are had quite some good advantages! Suddenly these few weeks show clearly those who are waiting just a bit too long to realize the chance they had to be on such a tall ship and should have maybe read a few less books in their cabins….

Europa sailing close hold

I find myself better and better in being very politically correct as people have chosen me to empty their fustrations to. This made me realize I must have gained quite so “listening” or “trust” skill somehow.

Deborah, our guide onboard keeps on repeating to me I have great leader skills and that when I say something it is clear and wise; that is why people come to me; do not ask me where that comes from…. because I have no idea and before being able to see the bright side, I thought more “why do they come to me?! I do not want to be involved in other peoples drama!…” they are doing better though: more deck work and sail handling… I must have said something good! 😉

Another important fact to me: This week I have taken over Klaas’s watch! Finally! Getting adjusted again to finding another balance. Wouldn’t swop my place right now! I could just find the time to finish a few deck projects during the day before being on top of out next port of call’s administration. This job is great!

The rainbow after the rain

Week 6.

Week 6.

Oh hello northern hemisphere again! Hello squalls, showers, north easterly winds and clouds! Bye bye stunsails!

Europa’s bridge at night

After a great equator crossing ceremony, we have been able to welcome quite a few new shellbacks on Europa. A swimcall sounded very necessary to rinse off some of the pollywogs crimes… but mainly the last bits of slob in the remaining hair… 😉

The grateful moment of enjoying the view of the ship you are sailing on… while she is sailing!

The last days of last week were pretty busy with maintenance but luckily we had the chance to launch one of the zodiacs and take turns on the ocean to view the vessel sailing away. This was as usual an awesome experience as it is not very often that one can see the vessel he is sailing on from a different perspective!

Bark Europa

A lot of maintenance is happening. I have been assigned the task to revarnish the board names of the vessel that are normally screwed on the stern of the vessel… quite some sanding, preping and layers of varnish to apply before they will be hung up again in Horta.

Bark Europa

Did you know the writting was made of real gold? I hope I will not mess it up! 😉 …