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| L'ORIENT with genoa and ballooner, a fast ride |
Well, we didn't
exactly cross the finish line first, but our "L'ORIENT RULES" stipulate that any boat crossing the finish line with more than 2 crew or without a functioning clothes washer are disqualified. Ta-da. We win.
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| Sailing into the setting sun |
Anyway, it was a wonderful passage.......truly a journey we will never forget.
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| Note the south latitude- crossing the equator |
Despite it being chronologically 28 days, 8 hours Kirstin and I agree that it felt like about 8 days, tops. Why ? Not sure. Maybe not seeing land for 28 days or other boats, for that matter did something to our perception of time. The endless empty space does something to the senses, maybe.
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| All the sails up and L’ORIENT sailing herself |
In terms of the boat, L'ORIENT performed well. Very little in the way of damage.......just a generator cooling pump and battery charger (both quick repaired). No ripped sails, no broken rigging........we know we were lucky compared with the tales of woe we had heard from friends preceding us.
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| Laundry day- grungy clothes are bad for our brand |
Fishing........how can I put this.
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| Our only catch- smallish tuna |
We just don't have "the right stuff" yet. We made a substantial investment in technology.......lures, line, etc. but only managed one tuna. A nice mackerel fought like hell and got away at the last minute after a 30 minute fight. Another fish was probably a monster. He bent the pole and broke the stainless steel leader in one pull. I've never seen anything like it. We will keep trying.
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| One of the fifty or so flying fish that died on our deck at night |
Sleep......went better than other long passages.
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| Sleep is a precious commodity on a passage |
We slept mostly in the cockpit except on really rolly nights, when sleeping around the settee was safer. You kind of get used to never really being awake or asleep. The wind through the rigging does start to sound like distant conversations thought......like hearing people talking through a closed door. Very strange phenomena.
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| Kirstin in her “nest” no doubt dreaming of pizza |
Pictures do this more justice than mere words, even from a literary giant like myself. Enjoy!
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Crossing under a rainbow
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Nuku Hiva - French Polynesia. We have arrived!
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| Viewing land for the first time in a month! |
