Wind shifts, weather changes.

The Roaring 40s, the Furious 50s and the Screeching 60s. Many think that those are the latitudes of constant raging westerlies. But in fact they are a main belt for atmospheric low-pressure systems that, turning clockwise around their centre, run eastbound along it.

It was in the 1500s when Magellan encountered this vast ocean as he sailed into it from the South Atlantic. In Southern Patagonia, facing the aforementioned conditions, he had to head north. Following him, ships departing from Europe, bound westwards towards South America and coming into the Pacific after rounding the Horn or traversing the Straits of Magellan, found great difficulties in making any headway against wind, weather and currents at these latitudes. The route that they used took them northwards in search of the trade winds. On their way they commonly passed by the Polynesian islands that lay close by, but never came across many of the other ones off this beaten track. For instance, the Tuamotus were well known and often visited, but another story is Hawaii, the northernmost island group of the Polynesian area, which had to wait until Captain Cook stumbled upon it in 1778 on his way to find the legendary Northwest Passage. The last great Pacific discovery by any European explorer. Before European exploration, the seafaring Polynesian culture had made a home on almost all of these islands, becoming the most closely related widely dispersed people in the world.

Though these are not the latitudes to make way westwards, making easting down here is never an easy job either.

During the last three days the South Pacific has given us a repertoire of what it has to offer. Sunny days become rainy, a light breeze transforms into raging wind, low seas rise to a big swell.

First, during our second 14th of October (the day that happened twice), the northwesterly wind backs to a westerly. With conditions still good, the crew is busy replacing the old Lower Topsail with a brand new one. As the hours pass it is clear that we have to speed up the job. The wind is picking up, the swell grows. Indeed, once it is bent on and set, it doesn’t take much longer to douse and pack Upper Staysails and Royals.

By the end of the day we have sailed 170 nautical miles, and ahead of us on the shortest route, there are 4,567 to go to the Horn.

Then, Europa sails into the latitudes of the Roaring 40s. Paying good tribute to their reputation, they welcome us with a wind shift to a strong southerly. Time for some hands on deck to pull on braces and adjust the rig for a good couple of days of close-hauled sailing. From a course set in a southeasterly direction, now it is time to steer east.

The meteorological forecast shows these winds increasing, related to a compression zone between a low-pressure system in front of us and a high-pressure system behind, with another one far ahead too. A good recipe for a squall parade to start, together with increasing winds and rising seas. Better to prepare the ship to properly sail in these conditions and for whatever is to come soon… The upper sail stash is furled, middle staysails and outer jib too. Showers sweep over us now and then, the sun shines in between, the first waves begin to wash the main deck.

It is just the end of the 15th of October. We have sailed 166 nautical miles, of them 154 in a straight line towards Cape Horn, with the change from a downwind course to close-hauled.

And then we wake up to the day when the South Pacific shows its teeth. A day of rough-weather sailing.

30, 35, 40, up to 45 kn during gusts.

2, 3, 4, some reaching over 5 metres. The swell rises.

The ship heels heavily to port. Waves crash over the bulwarks, water washes the main and fore decks. Before the worst of it hits us, and in between what seems to be an endless stream of showers and squalls, the Topgallants have come down too.

Furious winds and seas that make for spectacular sailing, though precautions must be taken aboard when walking around the ship. Harnesses are made mandatory on deck, and you had better clip on when daring this weather to work outside. Water comes over the railings and bashes from one side of the main deck to the other, now in a continuous manner.

Time to reduce some canvas. Hands are called on deck to clew up and bunt the Main Course, a few climb aloft to furl it, others set the small Aap over the main deck, and Desmond is stowed away as well. Braces pulled tight, and with all of us who have been involved in the manoeuvre soaking wet, the rig is now reduced for heavy weather and high seas. Like this we face the dimming light of the evening, and the ship is ready for the night hours.