Life isn’t meant to be lived perfectly… but merely to be LIVED. Boldly, wildly, beautifully, uncertainly, imperfectly, magically LIVED. ― Mandy Hale

The gentle hum of the engine sounds in the background as I sit here writing this post. Ahead of us lies the last 6 or so hours before we make landfall in Spain. Dan sleeps soundly after the luxury of a quick warm shower following his dawn watch. The night was kind, the seas gentle, but there was not enough breeze to keep us on our pace. The engine is doing its job to move us to our destination with little help from the wind.

Our passage across the notorious Biscay Bay has been mostly delightful. I had been dreading it as most of the people we talked to when leaving Ireland and Wales told stories of how rough and miserable it can be. Dan reminded me that we have crossed the Gulf Stream at least 5 times without any issues. He assured me that like any body of water, one only needs to wait for the proper weather window to cross safely and comfortably. We chose our weather window wisely.

Almost Losing Faith

 

Looking back at the last few weeks, after our series of unfortunate events upon resuming our journey after our forced 2 years of quarantine, I guess I forgot how trouble-ridden this lifestyle can be. Our motto is not “if” we will have parts break or complications, it is “when”. I expect these things, but so many problems in a row had me doubting if our adventure was meant to be fulfilled.

The last straw, after everything finally came together; parts successfully delivered, new parts installed, everything seemingly back on an even keel after two weeks of delays, was when Dan went to put the last pieces in place for our generator to function.

Our generator started leaking oil. We were already being delayed waiting for our alternator and anchor chain to be delivered. Dan jumped on the opportunity as we had a temporary shipping address, and ordered all new gaskets. He had already completed most of the replacements but still had to remove the governor linkage to install the timing caseage gasket. This was our last fix to make before we left the following morning.

As he shoved himself back into the engine compartment one last time, I excitedly prepared for setting off the next morning for our series of day sails down the coast of Wales. We were planning to hop down the coast to the Scilly Islands and spend a week there before heading across the big Biscay Bay to Spain. We had just provisioned and I was carefully stowing everything and planning meals.

That’s when I heard it – the sound of Dan stringing together expletives, signaling something had gone terribly wrong. 

What could possibly go wrong now? I thought to myself. We are so close! Everything is about to be right with world, our boat, our journey!

I was afraid to ask, but of course, I did.

Dan installed the new gasket on the governor, but upon putting everything back in place, the small but essential spring popped out and disappeared. The generator would not work without that spring.

We searched. We looking outside the engine compartment hoping beyond hope that it didn’t land in the bilge but sprang outside. We used lights and magnetic tools and probed every corner we could access in the bilge compartment. We were not successful.

Since the generator is technically not essential, we could continue without it. We could run our engine to charge our batteries much less efficiently than the generator, but I could tell Dan was taking this hard. He had prevailed over all our difficulties. Now, thanks to one sprung spring, we were back in the repair hole. 

As we laid down to sleep, the energy and excitement we felt at being ready to depart definitely deflated. It just didn’t seem fair. For the first time since our journey began, I felt Dan’s resolve weaken. Just before we drifted off to sleep, I heard him utter, “Maybe God has other plans for us.”

 

The Journey Continues

 

Sleeping restlessly, I noticed Dan was no longer next to me at 5 AM. It was way too early to depart. We were leaving at 9 AM when the tides changed to be in our favor. Dan often gets up at night to check on things, so I rolled over and went back to sleep.

We both awoke around 6:30. I asked Dan why he was up at 5.

“Good thing I was. I was lying awake thinking about that spring. I kept going over in my mind where the spring could have gone. I suddenly had an inspiration. I went to check on it.”

AND? I asked impatiently.

“I had this thought that maybe it sprang all the way across the engine compartment to the other side. I took a look over the top of the engine and there, sitting next to the engine mount, was the spring! It was out of reach so I grabbed a magnetic screwdriver and stuck my hand in, praying that the spring stuck and didn’t fall off. It magnetized right onto the screwdriver,” he said with a big smile. 

Now mind you, this tiny, less than one-inch spring, had to land with great care to be seated at the base of the engine. The moment we started the engine, it would have rolled off, into the bilge, gone forever. Dan’s moment of inspiration had to be a bit more – one might even go so far as to call it a miracle, a reminder that we can’t lose our faith in this journey.

That morning, Dan replaced the spring, got the genny running, and as the tides turned, so did our faith that there is a higher power watching over us. We do often face challenges, but as the saying goes, you need to have rain to appreciate the sunshine. We never take for granted that things will go smoothly, but we also need to keep our faith that all will be resolved.

Heading South

 

Our hops down the coast were not particularly pleasant. It seemed the Irish Sea was not going to be left behind quietly and pleasantly. Ok, I have a little confession to make – I don’t like her. She is moody and rough, usually cloudy and cold, often rainy, and always has ten more knots of wind than predicted. I was not sad to be leaving those waters, as much as I love the country.

We finally made it to the Celtic Sea, the body of water just south of Ireland. It was still rough. We spent each day getting pounded by big waves, and rolling seas, but each night, we recouped in beautiful little harbors along the English coast. The air started to feel a bit warmer. The water was getting bluer and clearer. 

 

Lundy Island

 

Our favorite stop along the way was Lundy Island. We spent an extra day in the harbor so we could explore the island. I simply fell in love with Lundy. Lundy is located just off the western coast of England. It is accessible by ferry or helicopter. 

We never really know much about any particular place we land. We don’t have reliable internet to research new locations. We have a chart that gives us info about anchoring and the harbor. We can glean bits and pieces of information if we talk to other sailors. Lundy had been recommended by sailors we met in Dale. It was conveniently located along our route.

The only information we had was that it was a nature preserve, had a couple of lighthouses, a church, a castle, and a pub. Dan was sold with the one feature: pub. Dan did locate information that said there were walking trails along the 3 mile long, ½ mile wide, island. 

The 20 ft. tide change made it difficult to find a place to land our dinghy on the shore. You have to carefully secure your dinghy somewhere that can withstand drastic changes in water levels and be accessible when you return. We planned our outing to leave the boat close to high tide and return 6 hours later when the tide was high again so we didn’t have to drag our dinghy back down to the water.

Lundy is a large, flat plateau, surrounded by massive cliffs and dangerous rocks. Modern-day sailors can easily sail into the harbor with charts. Sailors from the past did not fare so well. Many ships met their demise on the rocks around the island. Thus, the first lighthouse was built. Unfortunately, because of its location, it was often shrouded in fog. The lighthouses keepers resorted to firing cannons to alert the sailors of the dangers but this tactic failed miserably. 

Two more lighthouses were built at the north and south ends of the islands yet ships still crashed on this island. The maritime history is fascinating. You can learn about all the island’s history at the only church on the island. At one point, the island was bought by a former slave owner. He used the money he earned from the emancipation to buy the island. The island was used previously by pirates and other nefarious characters. It was also briefly owned by royalty.

Today, the island is protected as a heritage site. The town has a few residences and air B&B’s, all confined in one small area surrounded by a rock wall. There is a small restaurant/pub and one general store, and a post office. Besides the church, lighthouses, and castle, there are no other buildings on the island.

Your walk along the island will take you along the incredible cliffsides, home to seals, puffins, and seabirds of many varieties. Wandering free on the island are goats, sheep, and deer. You will find stone paddocks with Highland Cows, horses, gigantic sows, and domestic sheep. 

My favorite moment from our trip was finding a lone, rogue, horse perched on the side of the cliff. He stood totally still on a small spit of land that dropped off on either side of him. Thousands of feet below, lay the cliffs, and the ocean. This horse stood on the small patch of earth on the cliff and just stared off into the sea. He didn’t move a muscle as we walked by and I photographed him. He appeared deep in thought. 

My belief is that he wasn’t real – maybe I met our guardian Equus – our spirit horse that guides us safely through the sea. Either that or he was dreaming of becoming a seahorse. 

The old lighthouse is available for climbing to the top of the tower and witnessing an incredible 360-degree view of the island. It was a breathtaking experience, and not just from climbing 200 stairs…

We chatted with other visitors, Rod and his wife, who were spending the weekend in the castle. The castle is perched on the cliff overlooking the bay between Lundy and England. I would have loved to spend a night in the castle – maybe next time! Wonderful people like Rob made donations to keep the island financially solvent when it was forced to shut down during Covid. 

Of course, we stopped at the restaurant/pub and had lunch and a pint. There is only one item for lunch each day. It does change, I’m told. How quaint to only have one item on the menu to choose from. Jacket potatoes were the choice of the day – which is a stuffed, baked potato. We filled ours with chili and cheese and they were delicious.

For me, there was so much unique beauty on this island that I simply couldn’t take it all in. It wasn’t a gorgeous, sunny day, but I had a blast taking pictures of all the life on this island. I highly recommend a visit to Lundy if you love stunning vistas, gorgeous walking
trails, history, and animals!

 

Scilly Islands

 

Many sailors we have spoken with have extolled the virtues and unique beauty of the Scilly Islands. We were not disappointed. This little group of islands is just off the Cornish Coast of England. The climate is influenced by the warmer current that runs through them, originating from the Gulf Stream. 

Five major islands are populated, and about 150 small rocky outcroppings qualify as islands. The result is a gathering point for nature, flora, and fauna that emits an almost tropical vibe. One could spend days island hopping and exploring each island, every one with its unique characteristics. All have gorgeous white sandy beaches, spectacular cliffs, abundant wildlife, and incredible foliage and flowers.

Our first night upon arrival, we had the harbor to ourselves. We took our dinghy to the gorgeous beach along with our portable BBQ grill and had a foil-wrapped feast as we watched the sunset. It was glorious. 

We met a couple walking on the beach who were vacationing on the island. They brought a tent as the islands are famous for their campsites. The ferry will pick up all bags and equipment. They will transfer all your bags to a cart upon arrival. Everyone’s items are placed on a trailer and driven to the campsite. Then, all the people form a line. Fellow campers pitch and help deliver all the supplies to each person’s site. 

This young couple island-hopped by ferry to participate in the various activities and water sports offered. One such activity is called coasteering which they participated in on St. Mary’s Island. The experts take a group of people donned in wetsuits. The group is guided to pinnacles and cliffs. They climb up the rocks, jump from great heights into the water. They float on to their next destination, climb new rock faces, and continuing this process along the coastline. 

 There are many great water adventures to be had on these islands. For those that love water activities, you will find no greater abundance than on these archipelagos. 

The most interesting fact we discovered was the role this island had in “D Day” or the famous battle of Normandy. A secret naval flotilla was based here in 1942 was disguised as French fishing boats, due to the brilliance of a 21-year-old Bretan agent. 

Information was smuggled out that included a detailed plan of German coastal defenses along the Normandy coast. This info was used to successfully defeat the Germans in the D-Day battle in 1944.

We loved exploring the forts on Tresco Island that date back to the 1500s. Great care is taken to provide placards with information. Depictions of what the compounds used to look like help you step back in time and picture life in the past. Ruins have been found on these islands dating back to the Bronze Age. There is so much history to be learned about these islands. 

Within walking distance of our anchorage on Tresco, we visited the Cromwell Castle, perched on the hillside as you enter the harbor. It was built at the end of the English Civil Wars. Its job was to aim cannons at the harbor entrance and protect the New Grimsby harbor. 

The remnants of King Charles’s Castle is a short hike to the top of the hill above Cromwell Castle. It was built under the reign of King Edward VI in the mid-1500s. The fort was later expanded and fortified but was blown to pieces by Parliamentary soldiers in 1651 to avoid capture. We walked through the ruins and viewed the depictions of what life would have been like in the fortress’s heyday.

The views from the top of the hill overlooking New Grimsby harbor were spectacular. It was fun looking down into the harbor and seeing our little boat bobbing there. 

 

The Big Hop Through Biscay Bay

 

We found a moderate grocery story in the Scilly Islands and stocked up for our passage. We always have more on hand than we need as we don’t know for sure when or where we will find the next grocery store. 

Dan watched the weather and found a weather window that had less than ideal wind, but the sea would be calm and we would not be traumatized by the notoriously rough seas that are often found in this bay.

The seafloor goes from thousands of feet to about 200 in the middle of the bay. This causes swells coming from the ocean to collide with the drastic change in seafloor elevation, thus creating rough conditions. I talked to one sailor in Ireland who had to turn around both times they tried to cross the bay because it was so rough. I didn’t want that to be our experience on our first crossing in two years.

Our issue would be that too little wind could be problematic. We can only carry enough fuel to motor for 48 hours. One of our fuel tanks has never been useable as it leaks. We have one 90-gallon tank. To access and fix the other tank, we would have to rip up our entire boat salon. The designers of the boat didn’t account for the tanks ever having to be repaired. The couches and flooring would all have to come out to get to the tanks and that would be both timely and expensive.

On deck, we carry 6 jerry cans, 5 gallons each, that can supplement our fuel tank if needed. That gives us an extra day of motoring. Thankfully, our one day of 11 knots of wind in a good direction, allowed us to fly our spinnaker and make 5.5 knots. We motored with the mainsail up for 3 of our 4 days. Thanks to the extra cans of fuel. We should have just enough fuel to make it to La Coruna, Spain. 

On our heels is a storm. It is due to arrive on Friday. We need to get into port by Thursday so we aren’t stuck out here when things turn bad. I’m sure we would survive, but I certainly don’t want to test that theory.

Highlights

 

We’ve never seen so many dolphins. Perhaps the last two years of boating restrictions have been good for the sea. The dolphins and other wildlife seem to be more abundant than ever. I still can’t catch one damn fish… but that is probably my fault for not having the right fishing lures for these northern waters. They worked so well in the Caribbean.

The second night out, just at Captain’s Hour, we were looking across the quiet expanse of sea, and suddenly, spouts of water appeared. A pod of whales was passing by about half a mile from our path. While they didn’t surface, we were enthralled by the show of waterworks and they blew plumes of water into the air. Dan did spot one fin and back with the binoculars, but they didn’t seem keen on showing off for us. 

Every time a pod of dolphins zoomed over to play in our bow wake, we would run to the front of the boat and be mesmerized by their antics. They dart back and forth from one side of the boat to the other. They slipstream in the bow wake and pack together and ride the tide. When they need a breath of air, they seem to surface in unison before darting back under to resume their fun.

Sometimes, I lay on the deck and reach down with my fingertips. If I’m lucky, I can skim the dorsal fin with a fingertip. Their energy, playfulness, and enthusiasm, always boost our spirits. Seeing them play never gets old.

On the flip side, one evening just before sunset, when the breeze had died and the water was as still as a millpond, we saw a dark fin protrude from the water. It broke the surface and traveled just above the water before disappearing below. This was repeated several times letting us know this was not a playful dolphin but a large predator. 

We have seen a few sharks during our crossings. We seem to always see them when the water is calm, smooth, and flat. It seems they like the silence, the drama of making their presence known. Their fin cuts through the water like a knife making a dramatic mark across the sea – the antithesis of our playful dolphin friends.

 

Lowlights

 

Scheduling watch hours overnight is an evolving process. The first night, I took 8 to 12. Dan did 12 to 3. I did 3 to 6. This was a great watch schedule for me in that I got to see the sunset and the sunrise. The problem is that because of my hang-ups and fears, having Dan be below and asleep as darkness descends, the ocean grows black, and I am tired, is not the best combination. 

On this particular crossing, we had many merchant boats to contend with as the Biscay Bay is the route to the English Channel, a busy shipping lane. Dan went to sleep the first night and I woke him up as two huge tankers appeared on our radar. One flanked us and the other was directly in our path. I struggled with what to do. Dan, having been a merchant marine and having traveled and been on watch on these types of ships, well, I will always defer to him for answers. 

My issue was, their speed and direction were not discernable as the numbers scrolled from high to low for no apparent reason. I couldn’t make heads nor tails of what to do or where to plot our course. I hate waking up Dan as sleep is so critical on these passages. Me, being the paranoid human being that I am, immediately recall the horror stories of small boats being struck by merchant ships because they don’t show up on the big ship’s radar.

Turns out, these ships were both at anchor. The radar didn’t know how to handle that so it scrolled through a bunch of data trying to figure it out. Why these boats were anchored 80 miles offshore, we will never know. 

Dan refreshed my memory on how to read the radar to determine the ships’ headings and what distance was safe for us to pass. He is always cheerful and helpful when I wake him up and thankfully doesn’t condemn my inexperience and lack of confidence.

The next night, I suggested that we switch shifts so Dan could see the sunset and sunrise. My ulterior motive was that maybe if I slept first and then went on watch in the dark of night, it would be less stressful. I would have only one shift at night and could catch up on sleep in the early morning hours.

This turned out to be a great idea. I was well-rested having slept from 8 till midnight and took my turn at watch not feeling afraid for a change. I enjoyed the amazing array of stars one can only experience out in the ocean, spanning your world from one horizon to the other. It is magical. I only had one or two ships pass. I enjoyed my watch so much, I let Dan sleep an extra hour. I figured I owed him.

He took his watch at 4 AM and I gratefully went to sleep. Dan, in good turn, let me sleep as long as I needed. It was around 9 AM when I woke. I stretched, saw sunshine coming through my cabin windows. I felt well-rested and ready for the day. 

I emerged into the cockpit and looked around for Dan. I didn’t see him topside. I stuck my head down below and yelled, hoping he was up forward for some reason. No answer.

A pit formed in my stomach. I knew he was here somewhere on the 43 feet we call home. I looked aft and saw the steady stream of bubbles behind us as we gently motored forward. No sign of Dan. Now I began to panic.

I stood on the bench and screamed at the top of my lungs forward toward the bow. No answer.

I started shaking. My heart sunk into my stomach. The seas were calm, if Dan had gone overboard, for whatever reason, he was most likely going to survive. But how the hell would I ever find him? He could have gone overboard anytime in the last four hours I had been asleep.

 I searched the seas behind us in the dead calm. Nothing caught my eye. In desperation, I screamed one more time as loud as I could. No answer.

My mind went into overdrive with possible options. First, I would stop the boat and send out a MAYDAY over the VHF radio. Second, I would try to retrace our route and search for him.

I ran back to the helm and lowered the throttle on the engine. The engine purred to a slow murmur and the boat slowed immediately.

It was then the water around the bow exploded with activity. Dolphins had been slipstreaming and I had just ruined their fun. That was when a head emerged. Dan had been lying on the deck hidden by our dinghy lashed to the deck. He rose with the GoPro in hand. He had been filming the dolphins and hadn’t heard me yelling even at the top of my lungs. 

I was overjoyed of course, but I cried. I had just lived through my worst nightmare. 

In retrospect, this was a good thing. First of all, it reminded me how fragile and unpredictable our lives are. We always need to be smart, take precautions, and be prepared – for any eventuality. We made a new boat rule (that had been in effect for night watches) that even during the day, no one leaves the cockpit without informing the other. While this was definitely a lowlight for me, I can chalk it up to another notch of experience on my nautical belt.

LAND HO!

As I finish this blog post, I can now make out the mountains of Spain. There is a haze blanketing the horizon, but the mountains are protruding, a sure sign we are closing in on our first European mainland destination. This is huge for us. We have come so far, thousands of miles, and 23 countries in our wake.

Not boat parts breaking, deliveries gone bad, or a world pandemic has stopped us from this journey. This life has not always been easy and has tested us in almost every way possible. But as I look over the horizon and see a new country to be explored, I know it has all been worthwhile.

I miss my kids and grandkids, I miss our parents, siblings, and friends. But this has been one hell of an adventure. In the end, we will have no regrets about the chances we didn’t take. We won’t be disappointed by the things we didn’t do. We will be living the quote:

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a ride!”

Bring on Spain. Bring on Portugal. Let’s see what there is to explore and experience. Maybe on some level, we will bring joy to those we know and love as they live vicariously through our amazing adventures. 

Thank you for sharing in our adventures. May you all have fair winds and smooth sailing in your lives!
Alison and Dan
s/v Equus