Georgia's take - TransAtlantic Leg One

Cast of characters:  The author, Georgia.  Always cheerful.  We would never have known she was nervous!

It is always fun to get a guest's perspective on Milly.  All three girls were adept at dinghy sailing and so understood the wind and sailing theory.  Emily has sailed with us on Milly numerous times but never for more than a daysail.   Georgia and Rebecca had sailed on larger boats but never overnight or on passage or in blue water.  Georgia's bog post benefits from the passage as a new experience.

Rebecca, coiling the lines on departure.  Happy and confident.

Emily.  She belongs on Milly with a smile like that on leaving the dock.

The captain

The first mate.

Georgia's take and fantastic photos (although the captions are mine, as you can probably tell):

Day time: Is mostly hanging about, reading, chatting, cooking, eating, and for the last two days having a constantly captivating view of the enormous oncoming swell as it approaches the rear and starboard side of the boat. 

Night time: Big grey waters, moonlight, stars, clouds. battle ship digital screen of the chart plotter. Cruising cargo tankers looking like toy ships in the distance only to realise they are 224 m long. 2.5 hour shifts, taking in the water, listening to a pod cast, keeping an eye on neighbouring boats, and ensuring we stay on course, and keep the sails in check. 

Captains hour: Throughout the day, each person moves around on their own schedule. Casually having conversations, napping, reading, and taking turns with meal prep in the galley. But once a day, Captain’s hour is a fun hour where everyone comes together. Have a cold brew, and chitchat about the days events.

A lesson on the chart plotter prior to first night watch.  Serious students.

One of the few times I took a line.  With three keen crew, my first mate job was very easy.

Father and daughter, father loving every moment of it.

Its been 656 NM, 95 hours, 4 night watches, 4 days, and we have nearly arrived at our waypoint: Lanzarote

It’s a different experience on a catamaran. Shifting through the water, flopping from side to side over crests of waves. Hearing the drum of the water make contact with the hull, the creak of the floor boards, and the mechanics below in the twisting downwind dance with the waves.

Rebecca enjoying the enormous swell.

Georgia learning the ropes

The frustratingly difficult job of taking a bearing on swollen seas.

Feeling excited by the concept of reaching land.  This is the first time in open waters on a sailing vessel and although having taught sailing and been brought up around dinghies, nothing quite compares to the the feeling of the boat moving through the massive body of water around you and feeling Milly juggle the tumbling waves off a 4 metre swell. Its been fun figuring out how to move around, to not be phased by all the sounds (the first night I was up about every 30 minutes to check out what was happening above water at each shift in sound or changing angle of the boat).

Having spent the last three and a half days out at ‘Sea’ it has been an exhilarating experience learning what life is like on Milly. At moments there is the presence of deep focus trying to reef in a sail in heavier winds, or navigating how ‘not to’ pinch your fingers off in the winch while letting out the sail, but for the most part Milly is oddly comforting to be aboard while cruising through the big, wavy bathtub of dark blue water off the coast of Northern Africa.

The idea of over night sailing was a scary one for me but something I have always wanted to do. Its good to face the things you are afraid of, and what better way to do than with my two old friends and the welcoming, guiding hand of Sally and Peter on Milly. 

Time for contemplation of the sea and world.  It is an awesome privilege.