April first

1 April 2018

Update from our guest crew:
“Today is Easter and April Fools! We were all amazed and happily suprised to see hard boiled eggs set in place around the saloon table for breakfast. Alice, a guest on her 10th voyage with the ‘Oosterschelde’, had taken the time to hand paint each crew and guests face on an egg. It was a bit of an Easter egg hunt because we circled around the table finding our own faces on the eggs, signifying our place at the table. To also fit with the nature of it being April Fools, a crafty crew member took the time to prank a couple of the still sleeping crew, who finished a watch just hours before. Two crew members have their faces painted on two raw eggs for a surprise welcome to the day.
Our watch began at 08:00 and with full stomachs from breakfast, we were ready to best use what mother nature sent our way. Joining Captain Arian and skilled hand Edward at the helm, our watch chatted on the ‘current’ sailing predicament. We started the watch sailing NW with a speed ranging from 5-6 knots but our speed over ground was just 3-4 knots. This meant we were sailing against a current. Knowing our speed over ground, we calculated the current using a distance logger, dragging it from the stern to measure our distance over water, over time. We confirmed a 2 knot current. This was not favourable, but we will do what we can to maintain our schedule. This meant motor sailing by noon to bring our speed over ground back to 6 knots.
Watch ended at 13:30 with lunch, again recharging us for what was to come. Sails had to be handled repeatedly as our apparent wind fluctuated throughout the day. Between sail handling, various knot tying and splicing was practiced. Sandra worked on turks head knots to aid as bumpers along each end of the three travelers aboard, while Alice worked on a bosun bag to add to her many contributions on board the ‘Oosterschelde’. Interrupting our focus was a mini down spout tornado, forming off our stern. As we were a safe distance away, we studied it as it danced and took many shapes over its short lifetime. A reminder of the ocean’s beauty but also the respect it demanded.
Emily and I finished the calm evening off sitting on the spare spars lashed to the starboard rail. Facing outboard, we enjoyed our Cuban cervezas and chatted becalmed thoughts, allowing the ocean to interrupt often. The moon hidden behind a vast weather system astern made for a dark evening. The lack of light, allowing us to see the celestial shapes and bioluminescence clearly as we still made headway through the current. With our next watch fast approaching at 00:00 and it being such a calm evening, we slept on deck, tuning ourselves with the rigging. A day I will not soon forget. An evening capped with cervezas, cheers to Neptune, all our respect.”