At sea: A month of adventure, challenges, reflection and connection

Attention is the key, on every path we tread,
With every step, every word, every story we’ve said.
In foreign tongues, in unknown streets and lanes,
We learn to listen, to live in the moment’s gains.

So travel with an open heart, a mind set free,
For in every journey, lies a chance to grow, to learn, to be.
In silence, in clarity, in attention so pure,
We find the beauty of life, the journey that endures.

By Aagje

Have you ever grabbed the globe and admired how vast the Pacific Ocean is? As the largest and deepest of all the oceans on Earth, the Pacific Ocean covers approximately one-third of the Earth’s surface. From the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, and from America in the east to Asia and Oceania in the west, it extends over an immense area. Known for its vastness and diverse marine life, the Pacific Ocean has long been an area of exploration and discovery.

I think the endless expanse of the sea and the idea of sailing for at least 30 days straight can be both a trial and a source of freedom for people. This mainly depends on their inner state and personal perspectives. The soothing waves under the boat, the endless horizon and the sky above invite us to reflect on life, the limitlessness of the world and our place in it, realizing how small we are. are in the immense universe.

The prospect of a month at sea often raises many questions. ‘What are you going to do all this time? Aren’t you going to be bored?’ are questions we often hear. To be honest, we don’t have a definitive answer yet, simply because this experience is new to us. But one thing is certain: a month at sea promises to be anything but boring.

During this crossing, Rajesh will mainly focus on creating reels that can be seen on our Instagram account @svmymotu, Facebook account svmymotu and YouTube channel svmymotu. It’s great to see him so enthusiastic, and it makes a nice change from the blogs and photos we share. Curious about what we have to offer? Feel free to take a look!

A day before our departure, we sailed to Otoque Island. There, the underwater ship was cleared of its algae layer by Jeroen and Rajesh while I tried to find a place to store the last groceries. A mix of joy, relief, and a dose of healthy tension is noticeable among family and friends, especially when the last calls are made and texts are sent. The fact that we have Starlink on board and that about ten other boats will leave tomorrow – with which we have created a WhatsApp group – and that we are therefore, not alone, makes a big difference to the peace of mind for many. I do wonder, now that Starlink makes contact with the world on the ocean possible, whether the loneliness and connection with nature that sailing across the great ocean brings is still really palpable. We’re going to experience it. Just before we go to bed, we feel the north wind starting to increase. Yes, with this wind, we can sail out of the Gulf of Panama. We are enthusiastically looking forward to this experience and everything the ocean has in store for us.

After a restless night and a final inspection round by Jeroen around the boat, we are ready for it. We offer Neptune a generous drink of rum as a token of respect and to ask for his blessing for a successful crossing. We conclude with a warm group hug and wish each other safe sailing, lots of inspiration and connection with the nature of the ocean. At 8.45 am, we weigh anchor and leave the bay on the engine. We spotted a large group of Pelicans, Gannets and Frigate Birds diving into the ocean, so we immediately cast our fishing rod. Only five minutes later, just as we were about to hoist our sails, we got a bite. Jeroen brings in the fish, and it turns out to be a Cero (king mackerel). What a beautiful start. Will we catch any fish during this sailing trip that we have not caught before?

When we can then hoist the sails, we turn off the engine. After we have rounded the island and adjusted the sails a number of times, an hour later, we sail on a downwind course to sail out of the Gulf of Panama. Weather forecasts indicate that we will have to deal with wind speeds of over 30 knots for more than an hour, and we choose not to set up the gennaker. We lag behind the other boats. When we still have wind speeds of 13 knots around half past four, we decide to hoist our gennaker. The next few hours we sailed at a nice speed of seven knots.

As I prepare dinner in the galley, a warm salad of zucchini, carrot, pepper, onion, garlic, coriander and tomatoes, together with the oven fish we caught that morning, I think back to the past week. Over the past week, we have tried to prepare ourselves as best as possible for the crossing, which raises an interesting question. “Can we really be fully prepared for the unknown, or is the ability to improvise and respond to unexpected situations as valuable a skill as preparation?” There are many aspects to consider, from navigation and weather forecasts to onboard supplies and safety measures. Despite all our efforts to prepare as thoroughly as possible, the unknown will always remain a factor that we cannot fully control or predict. No, I think that’s why a combination of preparation and improvisation gives the best chance of successfully navigating uncharted waters.

Jeroen calls me up to the top deck. The wind starts to increase and we take down the gennaker just in time. Within two minutes, the wind was already blowing at 23 knots. We adjust our course for strong winds and enjoy our first meal on this crossing. The wind will remain strong throughout the evening and night, even reaching 31 knots. We sail forward at a speed of 8-11 knots.

Rajesh takes over my watch during the night while the wind blows unabated. Jeroen takes over at 5 am. When checking the recent weather forecasts, we notice a change: the wind has shifted, and we have to adjust our course to the south to ensure that we do not end up in a windless area. We trim the sails and head south in the hope of finding more wind.

In the first 24 hours of our journey, we covered 167 nautical miles. However, due to our course to the northwest, we have now ended up in a windless area. We try to keep sailing as long as possible, even if our speed is only 2.6 knots.

Our sailboat has a 550-litre diesel tank, and we have another 100-litres in jerry cans on board. With this supply, we can sail approximately 1000 nautical miles. Since our entire journey is over 4,000 nautical miles, being economical with our fuel is crucial, and we try to minimize engine use. But when the wind disappears completely at half past two, we start the engine and sail 18 nautical miles further to the area where PredictWind predicts wind.

After two and a half hours of motoring, expecting that we would be in an area with more than 20 knots of wind according to Predictwind, the weather models turned out to be wrong. We switch off the engine and let ourselves be carried along by the waves and current at a leisurely speed of 1.5 to 2 knots. We experiment with different sail combinations, but the sea seems to follow its own rhythm. Instead of forcing, we choose patience. Suddenly a shark fin appears next to the boat, and moments later a shark jumps out of the water and lands on its back. We did not expect this during this sailing trip.

As we sail further out into the ocean, we are confronted with a unique experience of being isolated from the outside world. Surrounded by the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, it can be easy to feel lonely, far away from all that is familiar. The endless horizon offers a sense of infinity that can be both overwhelming and inspiring. But amid this vastness, we also find a deep connection, not only with each other but also with the nature around us. The waves that carry our boat, the wind that fills our sails, and the stars that light our way remind us of the essential connection between people and nature. It is a paradoxical experience in which feelings of loneliness and connection coexist, and the boundary between the two is often blurred. These contradictions challenge us to think more deeply about our relationship with the world around us and how we relate to the greater whole of the universe.

We have been on the ocean for ten days now, and the atmosphere on board is excellent. So far, we have been very lucky with the weather, wind, waves and currents. Although we are not sailing as fast as expected, averaging about 120 NM per day instead of the expected 150 NM, we are pleased with our progress.

Of course, there are also less fun tasks on board. At first we thought: ‘Oh, how nice, we have ‘guests’ on board: the gannet birds.’ As if they had received an invitation and were shouting it verbally through the air. At first, there were one or two, but eventually, there were fourteen of them spending the night on our bowsprit. They have a very special way to thank us: with a ‘gift’ of bird shit everywhere on the deck. It almost seems like they were competing among themselves to see who could produce the best shot! But hey, it’s all part of marine life, and it keeps us connected to nature. This is what we wanted!

Fishing is not going as well as we hoped. After nine days of fishing with two rods behind the boat, we finally had success when we were near the Galapagos Islands. There, we managed to catch a blackfin tuna. While hauling in the tuna, Jeroen suddenly saw a shark appear near the boat. Not much later, we saw about fifteen sharks and a large school of tuna swimming nearby.

We only catch what we can eat in the next two days, as our freezer is still full of meals I prepared in advance. Rajesh took out the GoPro and took some pictures underwater.

After your body gets used to the rhythm on board after the first two days, everyone will have more energy and feel fitter again. We have learned that you cannot always rely on the weather forecasts. After nine days of sailing, we arrived at the Galapagos Islands, and we enjoyed many things along the way. Life on board is far from boring; we are constantly busy with various activities that fill our days.

The weather plays an important role during our sailing trip. We monitor the weather forecasts three times a day and adjust our route if necessary. Ideally, we keep sail changes to a minimum, but due to the variable wind direction, we adjust our sails almost daily. In addition to the mainsail and Mizzen sail, we regularly hoist the Gennaker and sometimes also the Mizzen Gennaker or the Genoa.

Self-care is essential during this crossing. This includes adequate rest between our on-call shifts, personal hygiene, adequate water intake and healthy eating. I bake fresh bread every morning. For lunch, I often make tuna, egg or chicken salads to put on bread. Every now and then, I spoil the men with omelettes or sausages, depending on what they feel like.

In the evening, dinner is the highlight of the day. I prepare a variety of dishes ranging from different vegetable curries. For this, I use fresh ingredients that we have on board, both in madras and coconut milk variants. These dishes can be vegetarian or with fish or chicken. About 90% of all meals are Indian, and the Dahl and Biryani are certainly not missing. When I feel like having Mexican food, I make chili con carne and Italian cuisine with various pasta dishes, which are also regularly on the menu.

Our sailboat also requires constant maintenance. Jeroen carries out daily inspections to assess whether preventive maintenance is required on the engine, sails, lines, and stays. We also check our power supply daily and ensure that the solar panels generate sufficient energy. If necessary, we turn on the generator.

So far we have made several minor repairs, such as cleaning the watermaker hoses and repairing a torn gennaker sock. Jeroen also repaired a defective toilet handle.

Relaxation and reflection are important during this long journey. We find time for reading, writing, self-reflection and fishing. In addition, we enjoy the view of the ocean, observe marine life and admire beautiful sunsets. Rajesh takes photos and videos every day to create a movie of our adventures while I write the blogs. The videos can be seen on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

During our sailing trip so far, we have learned to appreciate the beauty of simple moments that life on board brings. Catching a fish, baking fresh bread, or even enjoying a beautiful sunset can bring a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness. These moments remind us that happiness can often be found in the little things and that meaningful experiences don’t always have to be grand and compelling. It is these simple, everyday moments that add colour to our sailing journey and help us to reflect on what is really important in life.

A third of our journey is over, and we are already seeing fewer birds, a sign that we are getting further away from land. Fair winds!