“The anchor has loosened, let’s drift towards the rocks”: my fourth week on a sailing boat

It’s been almost a month since I’ve boarded Triton, this small sailboat that comes out as queer and feminist, and after a tumultuous week, I feel relieved to have announced my early departure within a week. Then I dream of a night in a hotel with a bed, A DOOR (I sleep with another crew member on a bench in the “living room” of the boat) and real bathrooms (on Triton we only have a bucket, placed in the cabin where 2 other members sleep of the team).

But in the meantime there is no time to breathe, because the next day Sushi and Claudi, who have been sailing with us for 2 weeks, leave Ribadeo, in eastern Galicia, and we still have to get there.

After looking at the weather forecast, the only time slot with enough wind to reach this city with our sailboat is tonight, between 2 and 9. So we go to bed at 9:30, try to sleep, and when I FINALLY find my way to the arms of Morpheus, the alarm goes off: it’s 1 am, and we have to get ready to leave.

A quiet night crossing (or almost)

At night, while sailing, everything is more dangerous : there is more risk of collision, whether with a rock or a boat, and less chance of finding someone who has fallen overboard.

But that night everything was silent. We passed boats in the distance, we went along the coast with enough distance to take no chances… In short, if we forget the rather extreme fatigue upon arrival, I could speak of smooth sailing.

As soon as they arrive, Sushi and Claudi finish their bag and leave. Hannah and I go back to our bunks and plan to get a good night’s sleep, but after just 20 minutes Hannah wakes me up: the neighbors on the pontoon suggest we follow them to get to “on the most beautiful beach in the world” (according to the tourist office), 30 minutes by transport from the port. Ok, I guess we’ll sleep later!

5 days of the sweet life

If I’m being honest, I will that day changed everything. We had a great time, talked a lot about what was happening or not, and then took advantage of the Cathedrals beach, known as the most beautiful in the world please!

The next teammates arrive 5 days later, and for several days, we take time to rest, combining moments of relaxation, visits and aperitifs with the neighbours.

I’m having so much fun I decide to reconsider my decision to leave the boat. I will be fine the 6 weeks, as expected. Hannah smiles and tells me again that after the storm comes good weather, and that she’s relieved I’ve decided to stay.

Departure without wind

But now we know we have to fetch two new team-mates in Viveiro, a little further up the coast. And, after several days of looking at the weather, the forecast is not good at all. Almost no wind is forecast for the region for the next 14 days.

Without really other solutions, we decide to leave with a very light wind. So weak that once off, our sails float in the void. Then he set off for the slowest crossing of my life.

We start the engine, but it doesn’t go fast (between 5 and 6 km/h) and it shouldn’t be run for more than 2 consecutive hours, because it risks overheating. Then we alternate phases without an engine, where we spend 2 hours going a lot Very slowly (less than 2 km/h), see drifting with no wind. And so on until the end.

Hannah takes the opportunity to swim in the middle of the ocean, a bit chilly, I prefer to draw, read a book, listen to music and wait like this for more than 15 hours. We have no choice and finally remains one of the sweetest memories of this stay.

The anchor… A new adventure

Save, we decide not to go to the port (for a fee) that evening, but to drop anchor (which is free) in a fairly close area. It’s my first time dropping anchor with Triton and Hannah tells me we are. “like in the 50’s”. We swing the anchor and chain at the same time, and then pray it holds.

I go to sleep quite peacefully, but at 2 am Hannah wakes me up because his GPS on his phone tells him the anchor has come off. We drift towards the rocks. It must then be pulled out of the water (without mechanical aids, therefore about ten kilos to be towed with the strength of our arms), before swinging it again.

I decide to take it as a joke. All these mishaps end up creeping up on me. But since sleep is important, we are not joking either: the following night we will be at the port where we will be safe!

And that’s where Léonie, a new member of the team, joins us. Followed up the next day by Lilas who is lovely. Their arrival is like a relief : I love them and feel that by their side my last two weeks aboard Triton will be the best!

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