Beautiful evening sun, southern England’s white cliffs, and 6.4 knots with a reefed sail. This Monday evening is the most beautiful and peaceful sailing the Sea Stallion has had for a long time. For the first time, we have been able to completely relax when off watch – listen to music, hide behind sunglasses and a book – without worrying about the bowline, mid sheet or pumping out.
Last year’s rainy voyage and the last 14 days of cold and wind made even the free watch a hard and exhausting job. When the change of watch is called from the aft deck at 8 pm, the night’s sleeping spaces are prepared amidships. The oars are rolled out, covered with underlay, and 14 hands are packed close under woollen blankets and tarpaulin. But the cold from below and the wind down off the sail gets through the many layers of woollens, off-shore sailing clothes, cap, gloves and sleeping gear. Many nights the hands get up again before time with chattering teeth and cold feet. It’s so cold it’s hard to sleep and although they need sleep many prefer to stay on their feet in an almost zombie-like state deep in themselves out of exhaustion.
The cold nights make the free watch in the daytime incredibly important. This is when you can sleep, relax, rest the whole body – and socialise with the rest of the crew and visit the ship’s other sections. Last year’s rain meant wet rye sandwiches, wet woollen blankets already at midday, and the frustrating situation created an invincible sluggishness. This year, most of the water has come from the big waves that have broken over the ship’s sides and the rough sea has again made resting difficult when off watch.
So the day’s sunshine has created a relaxed, harmonious and happy mood on board. We have energy to spare and the cold has not yet frozen our toes. The outlook of a warmer night has given rise to hopes of a good four hours’ sleep and people are enjoying evening coffee and salt liquorices, which after many days away from Denmark are more and more in demand.