Sailing Terrapin

At about 24 degrees latitude, on Friday, we finally found our perfect day on the passage! We sailed along on a broad reach at about 8 kts almost the entire day. The seas were about 5-7ft and Terrapin loved surfing the swell that rolled along and gave us a push. We even saw a playful juvenile humpback! He would come along the bow on the starboard side, take a big breath, dive down under the keel, swim away behind us and then come back and repeat. It was so fun to watch him play. You could see his striped white underbelly in the clear turquoise water. It was such a fun ride and after the weather we had endured for ten days, we were so excited to just sit back and enjoy.

On Saturday, the winds were predicted to die off and we would be probably end up motoring. We kept waiting for that to happen, when instead, we started getting 20-25kts with 6-8ft seas. We were only 100 miles out so this would be our last night of the passage.

As the sun came up on Sunday, the winds died down to about 10-15, we could see the islands and suddenly around 25 dolphins started jumping off the bow. It was amazing!! Luis took advantage of this perfect moment to propose to Katie. He could not have planned it any better. The dolphins, the sunrise, the sailing conditions - were simply the perfect stage.

This passage was such an incredible experience. There was such a variety of conditions. As a sailor, this is what life is about. You endure the hardships and hard work to be rewarded with views and experiences that are not easily achieved. Modern conveniences are not affordable or practical but everyday life is far removed from the norm. Someone asked me after we arrived "Was this everything I thought it would be?" and words cannot describe or impart how it is so much more!!