Last full day at sea on our way to the Falklands / Islas Malvinas. Another journey of a motor sailing and sailing combination brought us to see land in the evening and drop anchor late at night at New Island.
The awe-inspiring majesty and mystery of the sea itself, its dead calms and vaulting storms, the infinite variety of its sea life, its salt sting and bracing airs, its immense and somehow life-affirming emptiness, and its terrible unforgiveness.
The Little Blue Book of Sailing Wisdom
Ed. by Stephen Brennan
We have been warm, we have been cold, wet at times. Often we found ourselves sleepy late at night or in the early morning out on deck pulling ropes whose names and functions were a puzzle for us. Seas have been calm and for a while just a little bit rougher. The ship has been heeling, rolling, and pitching on highly variable and changeable winds and sea states. Seasickness struck many, some quickly recovered, but for others it took a longer time and a little help from our doctor. For most of the passage from Montevideo sails have been pulling us, and when the fight was against seas and wind our engines have pushed the ship towards the Falklands / Islas Malvinas.
We had a first taste of the sailor’s life or at least of the life at sea in a ship as special as the Europa. We enjoyed, suffered, rejoiced, and cursed the coastal waters and the open ocean with their moody changes. And tonight, the anchor rattled down to the sea bottom at the beautiful shores of New Island. We have arrived at our first destination of the journey, the Falkland Islands / Islas Malvinas.
A last full day at sea that hasn’t been the easiest one. Last night and early morning found ourselves making progress motoring on headwinds. During the day gradually some sails start to be set to motor sail as close as possible to the wind.
Braces pulled sharp on starboard tack at the background, our figurehead Europa at the front, the most beautiful young woman of the old Greek times, rides today the enraged bull depicting Zeus charging against the growing seas as we approach the first islands of the Falklands.
At some point, there’s enough of a fair wind to shut up the engines and sail once more. An indisputable elegant way of reaching land after about nine days at sea.
During the night, sails gradually come down, one by one to keep the ship stable and still sailing till almost arrival to the first of the Falkland Islands we plan to visit, the so-named New Island.