Journal entry #5
Greetings from the Habits of Health,
We are now in our 7th day of sailing and bearing down on the finish line of the Caribbean 1500 race. It’s been nearly one week since the Habits of Health last saw land and we are anxiously anticipating seeing the peaks of the British Virgin Islands later tonight.
I must say that it’s always thrilling to spot land after such a long trip. We haven’t seen any yet today, but we know we are getting closer with each passing second. Everyone is excited knowing that in less than 70 miles we’ll be arriving at our destination in Tortola.
Last Evening
Last night we probably observed the most spectacular of all of the sunsets we’ve seen on this trip. To just say it was “spectacular” does not do it justice. I am not going to take the time to describe it to you in detail today but suffice it to say that it was as beautiful as any sunset anyone would want to see. Out here the close of the day ends in a big and majestic display - like the crescendo of an orchestra in the final movement of a symphony - and we are privileged to have front row seats in a theater that can only be experienced by being here.
By now you are getting accustomed to reading about the ritual we have every night on the Habits… a great meal, maybe the playing of a card game or two, great conversation, terrific music to match our environment, and then we each either go to bed or take our watches.
David and Terri took the first watch from 9:30 PM to 1 AM. Lori followed at 1 AM until 4:30 and I followed after that.
In the late evening and in early morning hours of today, the Habits was dodging a series of thunderstorms, squalls, and rain. Because of this, Captain Wayne was called up to the cockpit several times during the night to work with crew to make sure our sails were adjusted correctly, that we were maximizing our speed and efficiency, and most importantly, that we were sailing safely.
At the end of Lori’s watch and the beginning of mine, Lori called the Skipper back up to the cockpit to supervise an encounter we had with another slow moving freighter. This was not a near-miss situation as we had plenty of time to maneuver around the cargo ship, but it did pass very close in front of us. In fact, it passed close enough to where I could smell diesel fuel from the ship.
Sunrise
As spectacular as last evening’s sunset was, this morning’s sunrise surpassed it in majesty. There was a heavenly feeling to this day’s beginning… it was another reminder – in stunning color - of God’s promise of a new day.
As the darkness turned to light we witnessed in the east, first the muted announcement of a few clouds on the horizon. This then gave way to a palette of colors that got brighter and more intense as the morning light unfolded. Clouds looked as if they were touching the water. Above them we saw a display of pink, and gold, yellow and orange, and streaks of bright blue that heralded the sun’s arrival before we could see it. Further, with all of the reflections coming from the clouds and the deep intensity of the water, the seas to the horizon turned to dark brown…in fact, one could portray the ocean as chocolate in color.
To the west, the sky unfolded a different set of pastel colors; slate blue clouds with turquoise skies and shades of pink and orange. To our north, the foreboding darkness of the thunderstorms we had just sailed through gave a stark contrast to light we were now reaching towards. To the northwest, a large thick rainbow bore witness to the optimism we were all feeling on this morning. And, above us, we observed a most unusual cloud formation. These clouds appeared as rounded, globular, fluffy clouds arranged in a distinct repeating pattern that, from below, looked like a giant egg carton. It was amazing.
Finally, looking east again at the intersection of sky and sea, we saw a line of flaming bright red making it appear that the water itself was on fire… Then, as if emerging from the ocean, the fiery glow of a large red sun ascended in chorus of clouds. It was a breath taking morning!
Picking up a Hitchhiker
One thing I’ve realized in the four Caribbean 1500 races I have participated in is this: they are never routine, never the same, and often something unexpected happens….
At around 10:30 PM last night on David and Terri’s watch, a hitchhiker visited the Habits of Health. The interloper, an immature sea gull - not fully-grown and still with his darker plumage - landed on the aft deck of the Habits… and has been on the boat now for nearly 17 hours! I am not sure how he got over 200 miles from land to find us but he was quite exhausted when we sailed by just at the right time for him!
Allow me to describe this feathery fellow to you…
He’s about 2/3rds fully grown with a white underside and with his wing feather coloration that is darker; a beautiful mottled brown color. He has a brown-grayish back and a speckled head. His beak and webfeet are also very dark brown – almost black – in color. His eyes have a dark brown pupil encircled in white. One side of his two black tail feathers – the ones on the left side - is missing a few feathers, which gives him character. In short, he is a very handsome/cute little fellow.
During last night and this morning while it was dark outside, he primarily stood on the port deck just outside the cockpit. Of course all of us adopted him immediately and he’s been eating the food we’ve been giving to him – chicken, ham, hamburger, bread, etc. Lori even put out some fresh water for him to drink. It’s a bit surprising to me that he’s been with us for the best part of this entire day. But, I think this little bird figured out that he’s found a good thing by landing on this sailboat!
Once the sun came out, our bird started to do some exploring on foot. He walked to the bow and then turned around and strolled to the stern. He did this a few times and also explored the entire stern. But mostly he hangs out on the port side just inches from the cockpit. Every now and then he’ll get closer and look curiously into the cockpit and study each of us closely.
A few times our feathered friend flew off the Habits only to return again. (One time when he was on the bow, a wave splashed on him and he took flight.) Coming in for a landing on a sailboat moving at 8 to 10 knots - and bobbing up and down - is quite a feat, especially when he lands between the cockpit and rails. It’s not quite as dramatic as an F-18 landing on the deck of a moving aircraft carrier but nonetheless he’s a pretty accomplished flier to do this with such precision even at such a young age!
With each time he has taken flight - only to return again - he has become more comfortable with us. In fact, now every time he lands, he’s ready for some more goodies! As a result of this ability to get us to give him food, the crew nicknamed him, “Moochie” !
With about 70 miles to go until land, I think Moochie may make it Tortola with us!
Sailing in Tonight
As I have already stated, we are in the home stretch of the race. We expect to get into Tortola later this evening…probably after midnight. I will be giving you one last report after we arrive in Tortola.
Special Thanks
We want to give a special thanks to the World Cruising Club and the employees of the Caribbean 1500 for all work that has gone into the creation, implementation, and administration of this great event. We love the camaraderie and the sense of community that you provide for the crews of each sailboat. Additionally, we appreciate the opportunity for our friends and families to participate vicariously in the race through your website. Your love of sailing and the sea has made it possible for us to experience the thrill and adventure of sailing in this blue water race and for us to store up memories that will last a lifetime.
This is Crewmember, Dan, signing off until next time.