It is hard to comprehend the vastness of the sea. Only when you are in the middle of it not seeing any land for weeks, it really hits you. Standing on the helm with some time for thoughts we admire the raw power of the ocean. On occasions it is nice and calm but when it gets mean, it

is mean. We have been pounded by big swells for days and although slowly leaving the low pressure system the swell still produces some magnificent waves. Just like a statue takes shape under the masterful hands of a sculptor, the mother nature creates a masterpiece on her own.

Yes, it is menacing, powerful and imposing, but surely, it is beautiful. Occasional sun rays piercing through the cloudy skies add to the atmosphere creating an otherworldly scene. Icing on the cake, a moment when the heart of photographer rejoices. Some days it is a battle, other
days an easy ride. We admire the ever changing nature of the ocean. One moment a roaring beast, the next one a purring cat. Among all this, our small home called Europa is piercing through the waters of the Atlantic Ocean towards the Equator. There is still a lot of ground to cover till we leave the southern hemisphere but at the beginning of the week, we are firmly on the right course. For now.

The low pressure system we’ve been passing through gave us a much needed wind to achieve good speed and in the right direction. But eventually the sea got calmer, the wind more restless and unpredictable. We rest from the constant heeling and rocking, perhaps we enjoy another lazy Sunday on deck warmed by the sun rays. And we celebrate. We celebrate life because we feel this journey is “living” the life to the fullest. It is hard, it is tiring but also it is fulfilling. Something we will proudly talk about to our relatives and friends back home over a glass of wine or pint of beer. We celebrate Easter by traditional Easter egg hunt. And we also celebrate birthdays. For this week we have a special
one, a round birthday. Our friend Cri has turned 30 this week. He is a much valued member of the team and with his unique humour he never ceases to produce smiles on our faces. Thank you Cri for being who you are and happy birthday mate.

On Tuesday the life got to a standstill. Winds dropped and the ship was making barely one knot of speed. We were “snailing” as some would jokingly say. There was one thing that was intense though. The sunshine.

Great time for our very first dip in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The water temperature has risen significantly over the last couple of days so why not give it a go and refresh our bodies and minds in the nice blue waters of the ocean? For the first time since Antarctica, we get to see the Europa from a different perspective. For some of us it is the first time to swim in the middle of the ocean and we feel happy to have this little moment of fun during the watch handover. Before we carry on with our daily duties a cargo ship passes by in the distance. The first sign of life we saw other than sea wildlife.

It is uncertain what the coming days will bring us. We ended up west of our planned route, about 200 nautical miles from the place where we expected to be. We are now chasing the wind that would return the ship into a favourable position to catch even better wind and ocean current that will bring us closer to where we all want to be. Home.

Ricky