Wind Surf Day 8 – Weather Conditions and Navigational Realities

 “There is no favourable wind for the sailor who doesn’t know where to go.”
Seneca the Younger

Wind Surf Transatlantic Sailing Day 8 

The last couple of days at sea have carried us into the heart of the Atlantic, where water and sky seemed endless. This morning, the ship moved forward as though pulled by invisible threads, and we felt ourselves becoming part of its quiet determination.

Time Changes and Breakfast

There was another time change last night, during which our clocks moved forward an hour, so once again the morning felt like it arrived extra early. I awoke to find that, regardless of the very short night, Sean was already up on deck, enjoying and photographing. It was another gorgeous day, with smooth seas, only the slightest of breezes, and clear, sunny skies. 

Sean waited for me to have breakfast, and by the time I was up on deck, we just made it into Veranda for a bite to eat before they closed for the morning. Thankfully, the crew gave us the time to enjoy our usual breakfast up on deck. Once again, the Captain hoisted the sails, playing the sail away music and creating a spectacle that never seems to get old.

 

Morning on Wind Surf 

Rosemarie and Pat Keough’s presentation on board Wind Surf this morning was on photographing people and cultures, which sounded very interesting ... however, it was simply too nice outside to spend time indoors.

As such, after breakfast, Sean decided to go for a soak in the hot tub, and despite the waves sloshing around in the swimming pool, he even went for a dip in there as well. I stayed in the shade on the pool deck, working on the daily Sudoku and talking to our fellow passengers. It was a very relaxed morning.

Captain’s Noon Update

After this idyllic start, the day took on the atmosphere that Via Rail does on the Ocean and Canadian trains when the crew is about to announce a change of plans or massive delay. We learned that they are doing an onboard BBQ for lunch, which is quite an event, and that there will be an open bar afterwards.

What was the news coming our way?

At noon, the Captain began with his usual announcement. We had travelled 295 miles since yesterday, making an average speed of 13 knots. Cape Verde, which is still the nearest land, is now 620 miles away, and we are 1115 miles from Las Palmas. The weather should be calm and nice for the next two days.

So far, so good. Next, the Captain asked everyone to gather in the central lounge for an update on our itinerary.

 

Atlantic Storms and Navigational Realities 

When we had all assembled, the Captain let us know that by their estimates, we have one day of nice weather left, after which we will have to turn northward into the storm that we have so far been avoiding. The swells will be coming from the side, which will slow our progress, but it is difficult to tell by how much. 

The prediction was that we would arrive in Las Palmas on Wednesday evening, and we would make a stop of 4-5 hours to refuel. This is necessary, as we have sailed over 400 miles extra now, much of it into strong headwinds, to avoid the storm. However, passengers will not be cleared to disembark on the island because they cannot work out the customs procedures for everyone so quickly.

The second part of the talk involved a slide show with more rather alarming pictures of the storm we will head into during and after our arrival in Las Palmas. It also included the information that we are now about a day behind our scheduled position. When we leave Las Palmas, we will still be 720 miles from Lisbon, which is a 2.5 to 3-day sail for this vessel.

That would make our arrival in Lisbon late on April 12th at the very earliest, and by their best calculations, we would arrive during high tide and need to wait an additional 6 hours for low tide so we could sail under the bridge into the harbour. Even Wind Star, another sailing vessel in the fleet, which left on March 26th and is three days ahead of us has had to tack south to Cadiz and is behind – this is the reality of the current weather conditions So, instead of heading to Lisbon, Portugal we will now be going to Cadiz, Spain, likely arriving on the morning of April 12th.

We now have decisions to make and new adventures to plan.

Embracing the Unexpected

The Atlantic Ocean is as vast as it is humbling. For days, it stretches out before you, unbroken and endless. There are no shortcuts, no detours. You either move or you stay still. The lack of distractions and the absence of the noises of our age allow the mind to slow down in ways that the hustle of modern life simply cannot match.

One of the greatest virtues of slow travel is the freedom to embrace the unexpected. And when you’re sailing across the Atlantic, expect the unexpected! Weather patterns change, winds shift, and the boat itself becomes a living entity that needs to be listened to. These shifts in the journey remind us that life is less about perfect planning and more about adaptation.

Each day was a new rhythm to find. Sailing isn’t about destination; it’s about the journey. Indeed, this voyage, which was originally bound for Ponta Delgada and Lisbon, Portugal, was a prime example - as we now knew that we would not get to either. When we finally docked, we would be in neither the city nor the country that we had originally set out for. The options were to get upset about realities that we could not change or to embrace the time on board we had ahead of us. The simple fact is that, in not going to Ponta Delgada, we were now bound for the Canary Islands and to Cadiz – neither are really bad places to be “sent”.

The real beauty of slow travel is having a mindset that allows you to adjust course based on the wind.

Wind Surf Deck BBQ

After this bit of news, everyone headed up onto the top deck for a truly spectacular BBQ lunch. Long tables, white tablecloths and immense platters were set out along the teak decks at the centre of Wind Surf.

Around us was a huge selection of salads, a meat and cheese table, of course, the grill, which included a huge variety of different options, and a dessert table with the largest blueberry pie imaginable!

The entire spread, the mouth-watering smells of BBQ, and the range of food truly goes beyond any description.

With loaded plates, we sat with Deborah and Sarah, enjoying the festive atmosphere, the lively music, and the bountiful feast while enjoying a glass of sangria.

 

Trivia with Matt O

The BBQ and party lasted over two hours, so we all headed down together to the 'Food Glorious Food' trivia session at 2:25 PM. 

This was the most difficult one so far, and none of the teams got full points or even came close. We only managed 6.5 out of 22 questions, but we had fun nonetheless and learned several new factoids in the process.

Compass Rose and Considering Our Options

After that, we headed back to the rear deck of the ship and Compass Rose to consider our next move, given the change in itinerary.

We had been planning to spend one night at a hotel in Lisbon, where we could store our suitcase for the duration of our hike, then take a bus down to Faro for a couple of nights, and then take another bus to Seville and begin hiking the Via de la Plata and Camino Sanabrés north to Santiago de Compostela. 

However, rather than taking an 8-hour bus ride back to Lisbon, it may now make more sense to simply begin walking from Cadiz on the Via Augusta. This means we have to figure out what to do with our clothes and suitcase from this voyage. A question not easily figured out without the internet in the middle of the Atlantic.

 

Amphora for Dinner 

Around 5:30 PM, we went downstairs and got changed before heading to dinner in Amphora. We seem to have a usual table near the front of the restaurant, and we were soon enjoying a delicious quinoa salad. For the main dish, I had a quinoa-stuffed pepper, which was both very tasty and enormous, and Sean had pasta with a creamy rose sauce. It was a quick meal, but very enjoyable.

When we left dinner, Danyi was just beginning his 'Rock the Sea' concert set in the lounge. He is an extremely talented musician and played rock songs on both violin and guitar. 

There was a somewhat distracting light show behind him on the stage, but his performance included some truly amazing music.

 

Navigating by the Stars

Despite having already enjoyed such a full and exciting day it was still not at an end. Our day’s schedule had indicated that there was going to be a stargazing presentation at the bridge. Making our way to the front of Wind Surf, we found that all of the exterior lights were off, making the skies all the more incredible.

Arriving, a bridge officer gave a terrific talk, indicating the various constellations and key stars for navigation with a light pointer.

Experiences at Compass Rose

Enjoying our time outside, following the stargazing presentation, we strolled aft. At the back of the ship, we sat at a table outside Compass Rose. Here we discovered that a group of people had ordered Louis XIII cognac – apparently, it is an incredibly expensive order. So the four of them (in their words) limited themselves to only one glass each. In addition, they treated the onboard Sommelier to an ounce.

What ensued was so far beyond our experiences. Unlike ourselves ordering a glass of wine, their drinks got a presentation. A huge red box was removed from lock-up and brought out onto the back deck. The box was opened up with a dramatic flair, revealing a crystal decanter inside.

Apparently, though each bottle is shaped similarly, each is individually hand-blown and created with a unique crystal cork to fit only that bottle. Accordingly, the bottle and cork were each numbered. Purportedly, the corks are so good that with the stopper in, they can be turned upside down and they will not lose any of the liquor. Given the value of each bottle, none of the staff were willing to attempt to test this theory.

Revealed and described, even the drinking of the cognac involved a process. They opened the bottle, let it breathe. Next, it was poured into each glass, where it was again allowed to breathe. Throughout this process, the Sommelier described the process for distilling and enjoying Louis XIII. Next, the group smelled it, and took a small sip to clean the palate. Finally, while breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, they took a full drink!

While this happened a few feet away from us, we were given the chance to photograph the bottle and smell a glass of the cognac. Though amazing, I feel as though much of it was lost on us. Regardless, it was a new and exciting experience that we were grateful to have been part of.

At the conclusion of another amazing day and as the stars filled the sky once again, we were reminded that the sea still held mysteries to share. Tomorrow, perhaps, it would reveal more of them, carried on the wind and waves.

Read about Day 9 of our Atlantic Crossing on Wind Surf →