Life on board
A voyage this long under sail is unique, as all trips under sail are.
Despite today’s onboard access to computer models for wind and swell forecasts, radar information and other modern navigation equipment, no one can predict with 100 percent certainty how the sailing is going to be, how the seas will treat us, the struggles, the surprises, which sail is going to give way at a seam and rip open, the strength of a passing squall, or the beauty of a sunset or sunrise at sea while steering the heeling and rolling ship at the wheel or working up aloft, furling or untying gaskets for the sails to be set. Every moment, the vast ocean offers different views, feelings, ship’s movements, wind shifts and wildlife sightings.
When things get calmer, it is time for talks on sail training, history, oceanography and navigation, or for identifying the few but interesting seabirds that join us for a while on our adventure. When bad weather hits, when the ship rolls and rolls and the waves splash back and forth across the main deck, it is time to be alert and hands-on: quickly dousing sail, hauling on clews and bunts, tightening braces, getting soaked while holding on and turning the wheel in heavy seas, working on the water-swept main deck, or hanging on shrouds and footropes, furling canvas.