At Viking Explorers we love to get feedbacks from our fleet, it is interesting to know first hand how everything is going in middle of the Atlantic.
Captain Kirsten Judd, Neil Judd, Anthony Gain and John Muscente are having a blast over the Atlantic Ocean on their fantastic Fontaine Pajot Saona 47, from 2021. They post on facebook regularly funny and interesting pictures and videos. Our team is so happy every time we get these news from our participants.
Captain Kirsten and her crew are experiencing their first Atlantic Crossing and have had the usual experiences one would expect from a long ocean passage. Great wind, no wind, too much wind, which has meant that the crew have been able to utilise every sail on board, in various combinations.
Unfortunately we can’t say the same for the sea state. Where are the beautiful big Atlantic rollers that we were promised? We have had confused, short, steep swell coming from all directions which has made the ride, let’s just say, a bit bumpy. This is why SY Seaduction left Mindelo a little later than the rest of the fleet, to try to have a slightly more comfortable ride.
For the most part it has been quite good, with the stable platform of the catamaran allowing us to have tasty cooked meals everyday, hot showers, and we have even done loads of laundry in the washing machine.
We have been able to keep ourselves entertained during the long days. I am not sure the sealife has appreciated the music jam sessions in the cockpit, but out here no one can tell you turn it down.
We have caught fish, seen dolphins, swam in the middle of the ocean, enjoyed each other’s company. It would have been nice to compliment the menu with more fish, however the early arrival of the Sargassum weed has been playing havoc with our lines, so only a couple of Mahi Mahi early in the leg. Having four people on the boat means our shifts are not too long and we have been able to get plenty of down time to rest and unwind.
Although we have been able to keep track of the fleet on the tracker and chat through the WhatsApp group, we are surprised how little other marine traffic we have come across. The chatter in the group has been great for learning little tricks from the other boats, but also very important when following the incidents as they unfold, and It’s nice to know there is a group of like minded people around you to offer support if needed. As we have discovered, its a big blue wilderness out here.
Starlink has been an absolute game changer as we have been able to maintain communications with the rest of the fleet in real time, download the latest up to date weather with ease, stay connected with family and friends anytime day or night and if you are a keen sports enthusiast, live stream your favourite sporting event like we did last week as we watched the Men’s Final of the Australian Open Tennis. Perhaps this is now the life of the ‘modern sailor’ if you choose it.
We are still a few days out from Grenada and we finally seem to be sailing with the trade winds and calmer seas, which is fabulous. Spirits are high, we are feeling great and looking forward to arriving in Grenada in a few days time.
S/Y Seaduction
Captain and Crew