Week 3- Bark Europa and the unexpected voyage from Ushuaia to Scheveningen
It is hard to comprehend the vastness of the sea. Only when you are in the middle of it not seeing any land for weeks, it really hits you. Standing on the helm with some time for thoughts we admire the raw power of the ocean. On occasions, it is nice and calm but when it gets mean, it is mean. We have been pounded by big swells for days and although slowly leaving the low-pressure system, the swell still produces some magnificent waves. Just like the statue takes shape under the masterful hands of a sculptor, mother nature creates a masterpiece on her own. Yes, it is menacing, powerful, and imposing, but surely, it is beautiful. Occasional sun rays piercing through the cloudy skies add to the atmosphere creating an otherworldly scene. The icing on the cake, a moment when the heart of the photographer rejoices. Some days it is a battle, other days an easy ride. We admire the ever-changing nature of the ocean. One moment a roaring beast, the next one a purring cat. Among all this, our small home called Europa is piercing through the waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the Equator. There is still a lot of ground to cover until we leave the southern hemisphere but at the beginning of the week, we are firmly on the right course. For now.
The low-pressure system we’ve been passing through gave us a much-needed wind to achieve good speed and in right direction. But eventually, the sea got calmer, wind more restless and unpredictable. We rest from the constant healing and rocking, perhaps we enjoy another lazy Sunday on deck warmed by the sun rays. And we celebrate. We celebrate life because we feel this journey is “living” the life to the fullest. It is hard, it is tiring but also it is fulfilling. Something we will proudly talk about to our relatives and friends back home over a glass of wine or pint of beer. We celebrate Easter by traditional Easter egg hunt. And we also celebrate birthdays. For this week we have a special one, a round birthday. Our friend Cri has turned 30 this week. He is a much-valued member of the team and with his unique humor, he never ceases to produce smiles on our faces. Thank you Cri for being who you are and happy birthday mate.
On Tuesday the life got to a standstill. Winds dropped and the ship was making barely one knot of speed. We were “snailing” as some would jokingly say. There was one thing that was intense though. The sunshine. Great time for our very first dip in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Water temperature has risen significantly over the last couple of days so why not give it a go and refresh our bodies and minds in the nice blue waters of the ocean. For the first time since Antarctica, we get to see the Europa from a different perspective. For some of us, it is the first time to swim in the middle of the ocean and we feel happy to have this little moment of fun during the watch handover. Before we carry on with our daily duties a cargo ship passes by in the distance. The first sign of life we saw other than sea wildlife.
It is uncertain what the coming days will bring us. We ended up short of our predicted waypoint, about 200 nautical miles from the place where we expected to be. We are now chasing the wind that would return the ship into a favorable position to catch the even better wind and ocean current that will bring us closer to where we all want to be. Home.