Wind Surf Day 13 – A Community at Sea

 "Sometimes, you have to get lost to find yourself."

Wind Surf Transatlantic Sailing Day 13

Days at sea as you cross the ocean become about routines, small perfect moments and getting to know others. Over the past two weeks, during talks with many of the crew and passengers that we have met and come to know on board Wind Surf, we feel as though we have become something more than individuals crossing the Atlantic. Those on board who are now friends have made this journey feel more akin to being a community at sea. Such is the peaceful nature of this ship and this voyage.

   

Morning Photography White Caps

This morning dawned grey and overcast, and there were quite a few rain showers rolling past. Sean was up and out on deck as usual, watching the day begin and finding new ways to see and document the rain-soaked decks with their interesting reflections as well as Wind Surf's white sails against the storm-darkened skies. 

As I remained in bed during these twilight hours, apparently (and once again) both the crew and other passengers watched him crawl around with fascination.

Snug in bed and still a little tired from so many exciting long days I did not join him until just before nine, when we went to breakfast together. The wind was surprisingly strong, and it was riling the sea up into very active waves topped by white caps that were whipped into spray, once again letting us catch glimpses of Poseidon's mane.

During breakfast, we had the opportunity to chat with Jenny about whether we would see the African coast, and she noted that the Sahara desert has sandstorms so strong that they can affect the Caribbean – apparently, grit and sand from Africa floats into the upper atmosphere and then falls. We have begun to see this on board the ship as the crew are constantly washing down the decks, which appear to be covered in a fine red sand.

Enrichment Talk and Boat Drill

After a quick breakfast outside Veranda, we headed down to listen to Rosemarie and Pat Keough’s presentation on travel photography and specifically Lisbon. As always, their talk and the accompanying photos were amazing. We recognized some of the familiar places we visited during our previous visits, like the Jorge Castle, the tower, and the Plaza Maior, which we visited at the start of our walk on the Rota Vicentina and Camino Portuguese. We also learned of some new destinations that look well worth visiting on our next visit.

In a vain attempt to catch up on our travel journals and complete our preparations for our coming hike, we (generally) stayed inside in the lounge after the talk. We could hear the wind roaring outside, but curiously, the ship was not rocking very much at all in the waves. As we worked, the crew were put through another safety drill in which they had to undertake a training session searching the ship for a “mysterious package that had been reported.” This was followed by various additional scenarios, and it was quite interesting to watch the professionalism of the crew as they trained.

Morning Trivia with Matt O

We were still in the lounge at 11:30 AM when 'Tri-bond Trivia' with Matt O began. In this version of trivia, each 'question' consisted of a group of three words, and we had to guess how the words were connected, a lot like the daily NY Times ‘Connections’ puzzles. We did quite well on this one, with a final score of 21/25, although of course we didn't win the coveted water bottle prizes.

 

During trivia, we could see a flock of birds wheeling and playing in the wind and waves outside the windows, so we took a break from work and went outside to watch. Apparently, there have been a couple of very exhausted sparrows resting on the deck, and Rosemarie said she had spotted a couple of birds swooping around the masts.

They were gone by the time we looked, but we did spot a Northern Gannet keeping pace with the ship, as well as several White-faced Storm Petrels.

Captain’s Noon Update

The Captain's noon announcement informed us that we had travelled 231 miles since leaving Las Palmas, and that we now have only 450 miles left to go to reach Cadiz. The nearest land is Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, which is 120 miles away. Over the next few days, the weather is expected to stay calm, with small swells, and we are scheduled to arrive in Cadiz at 6:30 AM on Saturday morning.

On a more depressing note, passengers were also to receive their luggage tags and instructions for disembarkation today, which lent a note of great sadness to the morning.

Lunch, Trivia and Champagne

After the Captain's announcement, we went up to lunch at Veranda and discovered that today's theme is Greek food. We sampled a variety of foods, including falafel, Greek salad, zucchini fritters, as well as roasted peppers with feta. It was delicious, and it felt good to be up on deck in the wild wind.

The afternoon was filled with a mix of working on writing and planning while also enjoying indoor events. At 2:15 PM, it was raining and windy, so we sat inside and listened to a very interesting talk on Champagne by the Hotel General Manager, James. After which, at 4:00 PM, we participated in the 'Gameshow: Trivia for $100,' which Matt had designed like Jeopardy, complete with the music. This was a lot of fun, and even though we got a lot wrong, we ended up with $3,800 in imaginary money.

Finally, at 5:15 PM, we listened to an interesting Port talk about Cadiz, as well as information about disembarking. During this presentation, we discovered that tomorrow is the beginning of Semana Santa (not next week as we thought), and everything will likely be closed when we arrive. Oh goody, what a way to begin a Camino. The last time we trekked the Iberian Peninsula during Easter was on our Camino de Madrid, and we can attest that it certainly adds another level of challenges to long-distance pilgrimage.

Stretching our Legs 

After the port talk about Cadiz, we dressed for dinner, intending to make our way down to Amphora. However, we decided to walk around the deck for one last look at the sunset before we headed inside.

      

Amphora has wonderful food, and it provides an excellent opportunity to share a meal and meet new people, but its one drawback is that it is pretty much the only place on the ship that doesn't have many windows. During this crossing, dinner is served during sunset, which requires a difficult decision each evening - eat dinner or watch the sunset?

Evening on Wind Surf 

As we made our way up onto the deck, we ran into Rosemarie and Pat outside Amphora. We mentioned that we were thinking of heading to Gibraltar after we disembarked, and soon they were both giving us excellent recommendations on where to go and what to see, as well as warnings about the cheeky monkeys that would try to steal our cameras or binoculars if given half a chance. Soon their friends were joining in, and it became a very interesting conversation.

We stuck to our original plan, and after wishing everyone 'bon appétit', we headed outside. We were greeted with a sky full of soft pinks, yellows, blues, and interesting clouds. The sea below was very active, with the deep blue waves broken by thousands of whitecaps.

Sailing towards the sunset was a catamaran under full sail, showing just how close to Africa we actually are. The active seas were also full of birds, with dozens of shearwaters/petrels skimming the surface and riding the wind.

A highlight was spotting a bird in the water looking like a tiny white and brown football as it bounced from wave to wave, leaving a trail of splashes behind. Unfortunately, we were not able to figure out what species it was – sometimes birding is like that, and you have to simply be grateful for the opportunity of seeing something new without knowing more.

Gifts from the Bridge 

We watched the birds on the lee side of the ship for a bit, standing out of the strong wind, and then decided to walk around the front before circling back. When we got up to the bridge, we were still watching and photographing the shearwaters and petrels around the vessel, when the bridge crew popped outside and offered Sean the opportunity to go out to the bowsprit.

Although I already had a chance to stand at the very front of the ship, looking down into the water, they invited me to come along as well. This was a huge gift, and one of the very special things about this voyage.

Community at Sea

Over the past 12 days, the passengers, crew, and Captain have come to know one another a little. The result being that the crew and Captain really go out of their way to do things they know the guests will appreciate – which is truly amazing!

Especially when you see how hard they are already working in the background. The crew of Wind Surf are talented, diligent, professional and always smiling. Yet they too have profound stories: of parents who ensured they learned multiple languages, of families who support them and who they are also supporting back home, of families that they only occasionally see, and of the uncertainty of living contract to contract – a reality that I can definitely relate to as a contract environmental researcher.

The young officer who took us out to the front had already given us the gift of having stamped our Camino passports and knew of our hike, so he took a few minutes to ask about it. He says one day he will walk the Camino, although probably not from Cadiz (his hometown). We felt so incredibly lucky to be given the opportunity to chat with him and to visit the front of the ship.

Yet another conversation with the crew that has made this voyage so memorable.

Stories and Experiences 

Beyond the crew tonight, passengers also began to share stories: about family, travel, and adventures that they have undertaken in life. In the process, we began to see that so many are carrying experiences of their own that shape who they are today. Listening as people talked tonight, we have learned about the UK, Germany, America, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Bali, as well as so many other places that the diversity of peoples on board have experienced firsthand.

Such conversations not only expand our understanding of the world but also fundamentally remind us that we are all the same. This is the importance of travel - to see the similarities and to experience the diversity of perspectives around the world.

     

One lady on board lost her older son at an early age, while he was in his 50s, and another lady knits all day, making blankets and sweaters for shelters back home. While yet another elegant woman wears different golden bugs on her shoulder each day, to quote, "direct people’s gaze to loftier levels”.

After two weeks, Wind Surf and those who travel on board have slowly woven together through shared experiences, time spent together, and the willingness to talk face to face. In an age of impersonal social media and negative news cycles, this entire voyage seemed like a necessary and precious opportunity to come together, to listen to one another and remember what is essential in this one precious life.

Sunset at Compass Rose

After our visit, we wandered back to Compass Rose to watch the sunset. The sailboat beside us was approaching the setting sun, and Sean wanted to get a photo of it when it crossed the sun's fiery path, so we sat in the back, enjoying the view, and still reluctant to head back inside and downstairs. The friendly staff at Compass Rose suggested we order room service to the bar and eat there, so this is what we did. We had spinach and feta salad and linguini pasta with truffle sauce, both of which were delicious, and we couldn’t have been happier eating outside and enjoying the gorgeous view.

The great dilemma of where to eat (or whether to eat), as well as watching the sunsets, was solved!

There were only a couple of people in the bar while we had our meal, so we chatted with the staff, some of whom would appear in the staff talent show later in the evening. One of the young men is heading home in a month to focus on his business, building his new home, and raising his young family. He sounded both excited and a little nervous to be starting on a new journey, which is something we can very much appreciate. Another young man was asking Sean about his photography, and we learned he creates his own photos and videos from his travels around the world for Instagram.

After our lovely dinner, we finally headed back inside to the lounge, where the trio of talented musicians on drums, guitar, and vocals were playing in preparation for the talent show. 

Slowly, the room began to fill with people as they finished dinner, and both the crowd and the music grew more and more lively.

Crew Talent Show

At 8:45 PM, the crew talent show began with Matt O acting as MC. 

The crew represents 27 nationalities, and Matt made sure to share the nationality of each performer. The Philippines and Indonesia were by far the most well-represented, and some of the performances reflected traditional songs or dances.

The talent was truly amazing, beginning with our room steward, Ni Luh, who gave a superb performance of the traditional Indonesian Bird of Paradise dance in a truly beautiful costume.

There was singing, dancing, and even a synchronized swimming demonstration.

      

It was a lot of fun, and throughout it all, Matt emphasized that these talented, generous young people were the same ones who were serving the guests, cleaning up after us, cooking our meals, and working in the engine room. It was a very appropriate reminder.

At one point, we looked at each other and agreed - this wasn’t just entertaining; it was jaw-droppingly good. The level of talent on display was beyond anything we’d expected, and by the end, we both felt it might just be the best onboard performance we’ve ever seen.

After the performance, we headed back up to the Compass Rose. Congratulations were in order for the staff up there, and energy was high. 

As a nice surprise to us, Danyi was playing guitar, and tonight he sang as well. However, not too long after we arrived one of the other guests requested to sing along with him, and took over the microphone. He wasn't a bad singer, but we weren't really up for karaoke, and we had a lot of editing and writing to do.

 

Sean had photographed the talent show and wanted to make the photos available to the crew, but getting them ready would likely take him most of the night. This task was made all the more challenging by the fact that we know Winston will be waiting on our bed to indicate that there is another time change tonight.

Time and Slow Travel on Wind Surf

Today felt like an unbelievable gift. It was so full of good things that there is sure to be a balancing of the course of our future hikes. In the meantime, we will embrace the moment and simply enjoy our good fortune. It has been a truly wonderful crossing, filled with many blessings.

For almost two weeks on board Wind Surf, the days have ended with the Atlantic stretching endlessly around us, yet as today came to an end, something felt different. There seemed to be a subtle shift that had occurred in the air and waters, hinting that change was near.

Read about Day 14 at Sea on Wind Surf →