Sailing! ⛵

Hello lovely people!!!
Good to read your e-mail. I just had to cry a little… (don’t know why, it just felt food 😉

Today is Sunday November 26, 08:27 AM. I should be sleeping now, because we get to sleep the extra hour on Sunday… our teachers have allways make the Sunday breakfast…
Breakfest is at 9 AM and at 9:30 AM school starts. Because I was so busy last week with other stuff, I could’t do my schoolwork… so now I have a stressed feeling about it.
Best to talk to Eve (my mentor) today!

Regarding the sailing… we sail windward, on and of the wind… it varies. We set sail and after 2 hours they can come down again.
For example, yesterdaymorning, it was still dark – this was my second watch. I have watch from 5-9 AM and from 5-9 PM. I was on deck with Wieske (student) and Sam (captain), because Adrienne and Anna (both students) were baking bread – which is also part of our watch. Wieske was on the helm, sailing the ship  and Sam and I started to make the ship ready for some real sailing!

I had to climb into the mast to unpack some sails. Really exciting because the ropes I am standing on are really thin, and I couldn’t untie the knot easily…. brrr, yet I did it!!
After that I set 6 sails together with Sam, hard work, yet great!! I can feel my mussles now and I feel the callous growing in the palm of my hands. 😉
Sam was really proud of me.

unpack the sail 

This morning it was really really very quiet, no wind. We were doing 2 knots – sailing – quiet – a beautiful sunrise…. and there they came… DOLPHINS! So many 🐬 dolphins 🐬  swimming aside the ship!!!!  Jelle (the chef) played his guitar and these dolphins just kept swimming with us… AWESOME!!! So beautiful, so peaceful!! What a great moment!!!!

Testerday Sam explained how a tack works on such a big ship. Gybing is easier. When you tack, you have to consider 28 lines…  Sam says it can be done with our watchgroup… first we have to practice it. I am glad I am used to sailing in a small boat to, otherwise I don’t know if I would understand all these terms and techniques.

My goal for sailing this week is learning how to tack.

Well, it is 08:49 AM, the engine is running again… the Thalassa is shaking like crazy, yet we keep on going!!

Lots of love and I am really looking forward to your next e-mail!!!
Xxxxxxxxxxxx Love youuuuu!!!!
Minke