Skip to main content

Waves and Fish

The wind is a steady 40 knots now, whipping up seas to an impressive 5 meters. For our landlubber readers, 40 knots is around 80 kilometers per hour, so imagine sticking your head out the window on a  motorway – that's kind of the feeling we're getting right now!

While things wouldn't exactly qualify as comfortable onboard, we have plenty of sea room and most importantly, we're safe. An extra layer of challenge emerged as we're beginning to encounter the shipping traffic who are also approaching Panama. Craig had his work cut out for him on watch, dodging ships with the AIS alarm blaring its warnings.

A couple of monster waves have crashed into the cockpit, forcing us to keep the doors shut. Our trusty fans are working overtime trying to keep things a bit more bearable inside. With belongings gradually migrating to the floor and joining the existing floor covering that's already relocated to the starboard side, it's clear things are a bit rough out there! As an indication of how big the waves are, there's a fish on the roof next to the solar panels – a bit of unexpected deck cargo!

But through it all, good old Namarie is taking it in her stride. Despite this being her first taste (and hopefully last!) of weather like this, she's holding up beautifully – no surprises from our trusty vessel.

There's a silver lining, though! All this wave action has provided the perfect opportunity to finally snag a pic.This is a monster wave literally meters from the back of the boat.

We'll keep you updated on our progress as we navigate these challenging conditions and get closer to Panama. We are hoping this breeze will begin to ease off by this evening and at least one fo the challanges of approacing Panama will be removed.
It may be worth explaining that the sea in the picture is not the horizon, just after I took the photo the wave went under the boat. 

Labels:
Location: 7736HCR7+Q6

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Off We Go

The dream of a seamless yacht delivery aboard the Fontaine Pajot 47 seemed like a solid plan. However, life, with its unpredictable currents, threw us a curveball. My trusted crewmate was struck by the ever-present Covid! Even though he's as tough as old sea boots, it definitely slowed him down. The pre-departure days were a delicate balancing act. While the initial concerns about a sick crewmate were undeniable, a strong sense of purpose took hold. Provisioning, finalizing paperwork, and familiarizing myself with Namarie became a mission with Craig putting in 110% effort despite his 20% health. Constant communication with my recuperating crewmate ensured a smooth handover of duties, keeping the team spirit alive despite maintaining physical separation and wearing masks. Stepping aboard Namarie, the initial awe at her sleek lines and luxurious interior was palpable. However, the euphoria was tempered by a healthy dose of respect for the vessel's complexity. The sophisticated na...
Post a Comment
Read more

Last 24hrs

This is our last full day and night at sea. Tomorrow, we'll be tied up in the marina in Tahiti , and I'll be turning off the engines for the last time. The main and headsail will be dropped and stowed away, and I won't be touching the sheets or halyards again. It feels peculiar to think that Namarie and I have kept each other safe throughout this incredible journey, and in a few days, I'll be on a plane heading home. On this yacht delivery Namarie and I started in the Bay of Biscay and headed south into the Atlantic, getting to know each other along the way. We made a brief stop in the Canary Islands, our last contact with Europe before heading further south and leaving footprints in the red dust of Cape Verde. We left West Africa behind and headed further west across the Atlantic, dodging hurricanes and grabbing fuel and provisions in the southern end of the Caribbean. From there, we pushed onwards through the Caribbean Sea to Panama and the canal. Pretty soon after, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Banana For Scale

Today, let's take a moment to reflect on the journey so far and what lies ahead. Forget bananas for scale – this adventure is measured in Atlantic crossings! We've already completed roughly one such crossing, getting to Cape Verde from La Rochelle. Another awaits us to reach the Caribbean, followed by half an Atlantic crossing from the Caribbean to Panama, and then… buckle up… two more Atlantic crossings to reach Tahiti from Panama! While traversing the Atlantic is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most, doing it back-to-back is a whole new level of adventure. Thankfully, we have some incredible technology on our side: exceptionally detailed weather models that provide reliable forecasts up to 10 days out. Considering our average daily distance is around 150 nautical miles, that means we can see weather developing 1500nm in front of us and plan around that! We primarily rely on ECMWF and GFS models to track weather patterns. For the past 7 days, we've been closely monitor...
Post a Comment
Read more