Hummingbird Blog
Wednesday 11 December 2024
Well, as I write
this penultimate blog, 18 days on the Atlantic and our final destination within
tangible reach, our thoughts and discussions are starting to be reflective.
Less references
to watch rotas, 'head up, bear away', 'wooling' the spinnaker, galley duties,
heads, sweating & dehydration, 'clean is dirty' and the depleting stock of
cookies we are finishing this
adventure on a high! A welcome beam
reach sails us within 125 NM of St Lucia and it feels like our beloved lady, The
Hummingbird, senses our desire for a fresh wind in what has been a variable and
sometimes frustrating period of down wind sailing in light airs. The final
countdown.
The mood in our
camp is largely one of reflection. 10 crew members from different continents met
each other for the first time just over 3 weeks ago and have shared hopes,
aspirations, so many stories, lots
of laughter and a few tears. Lifelong friendships have been forged and some of
us know each other more that we'd want to, but I know that I speak for many when I say 'its been a
blast'. At times truly exhausting,
both mentally and physically- but as a little Geordie lass from Northumberland,
UK- my eyes have been opened to the wealth of experiences shared by the rest of the crew and the gifted
skipper & first mate. This transatlantic crossing in a 60ft Clipper was on
the bucket list of all crew here sharing a love of sailing and admiration for
those sailors before us who
have achieved that dream. It hasn't disappointed.
We've sailed away from the
safe harbour of Las Plamas, caught the Trade winds in our sails and we have
dreamed and discovered - not being disappointed by what we didn't do but what
we've achieved. So what next for
each of us as we soon leave our 'home' for the last 2 weeks and contemplate 'life as normal'? Who knows?
Geordie
Jill