Week One On The Water

On one of the first few days, still with a work hangover from all the details that had to be taken care of to get Daphne in the water and everything else in my life relatively squared away, I woke up and looked up out of the aft cabin hatch, while still lying down and thought, why do I do anything other than play ice hockey?

Alas, the answer came as I knew it would again, as soon as I was sailing, navigating a course, using the wind to move my home from place to place. So far, there have been storms and calms. I’ve felt on top of the world and have been lonely. Social media has been a blessing and a curse. And there have been some sunrises and sunsets moments that have been incredible.

I’ve gotten to see some old friends face to face in quiet one-on-one settings, just the way I like it. Dietter and Oakley, you guys are the best. Then, at a quiet anchorage, I rowed over to another boat to say hello and made fast friends. Aboard for dinner and then again for breakfast, I shall see them again for sure down the road, or downwind someday. Marco and Yael, thank you for such a welcome! Though you mentioned the pasta was never as good when you have to cook for more than four, as the fifth, I’d say it was outstanding!

I was pointing in the direction of Downeast a few days later, when things didn’t feel right. It was going to be too hectic to make it there and make it back. The point of this cruise is to slow down. As such, I was psyched when I hit 6.90 knots two days ago! So I turned south and headed out towards the open ocean. I circumnavigated the Duck Islands and enjoyed the open ocean feel. I long for the ocean crossing. Soon, Daphne, soon.

The following day, I took a rest day. After finishing some projects that have been waiting for years to be completed, I noticed the wind had come up. I was feeling a little out of sorts, but I decided to give the wing foil another shot. (The first attempt got me 0 seconds on the foil in a few hours of attempts.) I contemplated another failure and figured it was still worth another try. Within the first few seconds of standing up I was on the foil. Back and forth I went across the small anchorage, foiling almost every time for three hours. At times laughing out loud, at times saying, “Yeah, mutha fucka!!!”

I had for years been searching for a viable water activity when conditions are right. Kite surfing was close but seemed like too much equipment and too much time to learn and and still not quite right. But wing foiling has proved possible and in a small enough package that it can be stored on a small boat like Daphne. It was the elation of having a dream, committing to it with time, energy, money and more than a few times wondering if it as really possible and worth it. It was like when they say, “I have a crazy idea…but it just might work.” And it worked! I’ve not seen anyone wing foil from a sailboat, certainly nothing in the cold waters of Maine! Feels kind of exciting to be charting my own course with this one! But the brilliant idea goes to Rob Lloyd for when we sail across the Atlantic together: one steers Daphne, the other cruises about on the wing foil – or maybe the swell will be big enough that no wing is necessary! Anyways, it made for a happy afternoon!

That’s the update for week one or so. The Antarctic calls early and so this ship will have to be pulled earlier than hoped but not before some more time at sea!