We have been sailing for more than 24 hours, at first in relatively high sea with a following wind of 16–17 metres/sec. We were prepared for a lot of wind and had taken a reef in from the top of the sail before we left Den Helder. When we came free of the coast, the ship began to turn violently to windward and we took in two more reefs – this time from the bottom. And then it was just full speed for Thyborøn, where we expect to be late tomorrow morning.
The sea quietened towards evening and the win moderated. But we sailed on with three reefs taken. It gives more peace on board and the helmsman has more control of the ship in the dark with favourable current and wind. But there is also a lot of disturbance in the ship when everything comes blasting from behind. Everybody must be very alert and ready for action. If the ship takes two or three trips on the big swells, it can quickly swing round across the swell and the pressure on the hull and rig can get too great. In this situation, the crew – the living ballast – has to move to the stern as quickly as possible, so the ship has sits deeper in the water at the stern and thus easier to steer back on course. We are working on various solutions to make the ship more balanced. We have moved the foreship free watch more permanently back in midships and the tack pole is set to close-hauled sailing even though we have the wind behind us. This seems to work and the free watch can sleep more peacefully.
And once again we are showing how 60 outstanding square-rig crew sail a Viking longship. The ship, rig and crew work as a single unit – from the look-out man at the front to the helmsman at the stern. We have all the life-saving equipment we could dream of – life rafts, life jackets, wet suits, distress buttons, SART, EPIRP, life buoy, safety lines, support vessel. But the most important safety lies in the fact that we are the best to sail the Sea Stallion. If everyone pays attention and acts resolutely on orders from the aft deck, we will get all the way home. If just one member of the crew fails his duty, it could be very serious for us all.
It is one week before we are home in Roskilde, we are in the middle of the North Sea, and everyone is at their posts!