Finally a fish. A metre long 20kg barracuda with extremely sharp teeth, was pulled on board by Skipper and Tom yesterday afternoon. The boys thought they had caught a wahoo, but closer examination revealed a different tail and dorsal fin. Sadly barracudas can’t be eaten because of the possibility that they carry ciguatera poison.
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that we’re in the middle of the Atlantic.
Life on board is inwards looking and introspective, focused on the cockpit, the cabin and the galley. In these small spaces the five of us gather and move around each other on watch, resting or cooking. Because of the heat we haven’t once sat in the saloon. The noises in these spaces are varied. Music is always playing in the cockpit. Chill out tracks at nighttime are changed for upbeat music during the day. The NL2 playlist dominates the proceedings. Behind the music there is the chatter of the crew, the movement of the sails, and the sounds of the hydro generator. Down below, the boat creaks and the water laps against the hull.
Venturing on deck, when the sea is calm reminds us that there is a whole world outside of the microcosm of the boat. Seated near the mast and looking outwards the vastness of the ocean reveals itself. There is nothing to the horizon 360 degrees around, except for NL2. The skies are blue, peppered with clouds that change and move constantly. Their shapes and colours are quite unlike those at home. Light dances on the surface of the waves revealing colours of white and indigo. The noise of the wind and waves dominate and soothe. We are just a tiny speck at the mercy of the environment. Sunrises and sunsets remind us that we’re part of a larger universe with its own cycle.
Nearly there now.
Sarah & Michael