Tag: travelling by sea

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! 😉 …

Week 5.

Week 5.

It has been a week since we left Ascension and it also just feels like a week.

Sailing closer towards the equator with changes in the weather system

Some days are longer and others flow by as, as something very strange when you are in swedish watch because you just go with the flow and your routine fits in a cycle of 2 days; in which you go 5 times to bed, and are woken up also 5 times, have 6 meals, 3 night snacks, 5 official coffee breaks on your watches, 2 out of your watch, and i will not tell you how many unofficial i have otherwise you will think constantly live in a coffee break…, and last but not least 2 beer times!

A happy watch dancing in the rain

It keeps you busy. And in between, you sleep, work, make voyage plannings, chart and book corrections, drills, safety checks on equipment, sail manoeuvers, assist with the network and digital equipment onboard for those who have problems connecting to the network, finding their usb, printing…., and if you have time you take some a bit for yourself…. and reading 2 pages of a book before falling asleep has been a huge challenge lately!

Heavy rain. Change of weather system. Neptune will soon visit.


But the sun is out-the tropical heat as well- and I have been looking forward to meeting Neptune and his court again… 😉