Blue Moon - day 14 blog blue moon

When we started our night shift at midnight, the wind dropped to 2knots. Instead of having a silent night, the waves created a rolling motion where the jib and main sail were protesting and smashing up and down. The next watch had to get the main sail down to protect the rigging and we moved slowly forward with our small front sail. So when we started our next 6 O clock morning shift, the Blue Moon was still rolling about with only the jib out. The sun came out early and already burned like fire. So we unfolded the bimini and installed the solar panels to have some shade in the cockpit. We unfurled the fishing line - we had permission from Sergio to do so - and prayed to Neptune to bless us again with Mahi Mahi for dinner tonight. Then our tasks of the day started. But not before Margo showed off her natural pancake skills. What a Sunday treat! With stomachs happily filled, it was time to get jiggy.

We are 7 people on board and sharing 3 cabins and a living room. Food and crew on such a small surface together can create some unpleasant oders. But the human part I can assure you is daily being washed as well as the laundry. The food part on the other hand can get messy.. Although we check fresh products daily and spot the moldy ones asap, the fridge became our oh-god-it-smells-just-close-it-rapidly-and-no-one-will-notice kind of place.

So on this sunny pancake Sunday we decided to finally get it done and over with: CLEAN THE FRIDGE! The more crew to help, the merrier. I was placed at the centre of this daunting task, with my head and arms at the bottom of the fridge while the others alerted all their senses to double check for food gone bad. Oh what a smell. A small hour later our skipper must have felt sorry for us stinky crew members, sweating and smelling like old cheese, because she decided this wobbly Sunday was made for swimming! Halleluja, after all these days sailing across such blue waters we can finally touch the soft blue with our bodies. (and Katleen’s ongoing reminders that having a swim would be so so nice, every minute of each day finally payed off) Our skipper made sure we rolled in the jib, engine was running, a long rope with a fender was thrown out and we all stood their waiting like little children, happy to go out and play. Oh what a joy. We went in with 2 people at a time and floated around a warm 27 degree ocean. With pain in my heart I had to fold in the stairs on the swimming platform and say goodbye to our Sunday playground so that Blue Moon can continue her course westwards.

For dinner it was the sisters again who joined forces and decided to cook up a dried mushroom risotto - yes we decided against the Amatriciana to slow it down on the pasta front. I think we managed pretty well! So with a well fed crew we are heading towards another wobbly night of 6 to 9 knots of wind. This part of the journey the skipper decided to let the engine run in gear for a few hours each night, so we move a bit faster towards our end goal.

Let‘s hope tomorrow is another Monday that feels like Sunday. I welcome it with open arms.

Sunkissed hugs,
Lis