The murder of Naivity

No matter how painful it is to have all the gradual realizations about how many seatravelers treat the ocean that they travel upon it is also very educative. I understand that in order to look for the right solutions it is important to see the reality for what it is. Many people still dont understand that their individual descicions have a certain impact. For many it is still normal to throw anything in the sea, especially when youre in deep water, since it just magicaly dissapears. Many people still dump their oilspill straight into the oceans. And some can do all of this and still look upon themselves as environmentally correct, it seems to be part of some kind of weired tradition. At some stops that weve had I felt like ive dived into a completely different world with strange rituals and strange traditions. Unfortunately that is not the case, we are all part of the same world and to change anything, understanding is part of the solution. Even though... I often wish I could just close my eyes and ears to some of the stories that I stumble upon.

Well onboard all is still well, except for the continual timestress. Technically Ive gotta be in Antigua in 7 days, and thats more than 2000 nautucal miles away, mission impossible. And since Im already not officially in brasil I cant get off and get a plane (which is something Im trying to avoid anyways, since part of the reason for me to do this trip is the environmental impact that airplanes have) so Im pretty much stuck here. 

For me personally it is not a huge problem, I can continue with this boat to europe and ive got another boat that leaves on the 10th of june, but Ive already said Id go with one canadian who is waiting for me and the bad concioussness is killing me. 

Fortunately my captain understands this so well sail up to fernando de noronha(maybe) to catch the winds and then were heading straight for Trinidad! 

IKEA

Who would ever have imagined that I would travel half around the world just to end up at an IKEA-furnished boat? Im surrounded by GOSA Syren and MYSA vete, well nothing like the comfy feeling of real quality swedish designs.

So I ended up jumping onboard another boat, a german sailingboat with far more luxury than dear toco. Here we have a watermaker, weve got warmwater, ive got my own cabin, and thats just the things that make your personal-life more comfortable, moving on to the navigationgear, well, were pretty well covered. Strange to jump from one world to another like that, and it was no easy descicion. Tocorime and the people that Ive met there will always have a place in my heart, and I really hope that everything falls into place so that the project can be realized, and that day I would love to return to once again watch the sunsets over the ocean with her. 

But since the project is delayed I realized its time for me to get home, and as I met Sticky Toffee in the harbor we made a pact to share one leg of the voyage. 

So here I am, once again rocked by the ocean, on my way to the carribean, furthermore I have the honour to sail with two very experienced sailors so I am constantly learning more about this wonderful art filled with tradition and pride. 

Tomorrow we should arrive in Salvador, from that the current plan is to go Fernando de noronha, Trinidad, Antigua. In Antigua Ive got another boat waiting and then its off to the crossing!

The Tide

For a little girl born and raised by the baltic sea it can be hard to fully grasp the concept and possible implications of the tide. Well, if I didnt grasp it before today I sure got a crashcourse in the subject. 

I havent been writing lately, basically because I havent had that much to write about. Life is moving along here in marina da gloria and except for some smaller excursions with the kids from british school the boat hasnt moved. But to be secured safely in the harbor doesnt appeal to a pirateboat like Tocorime, she taught us that today. 

Woke up by a terrible noise at 8 o'clock, thinking the world was coming to an end, turned out one of the bowlines got loose and the boat was almost crashing into our neighbours kitchen. Once secured we figured the worst was over, but Toco still had a fierce wish to travel the oceans once again. With the tidal water bouncing her from side to side all the ropes started running, even though properly secured they too seemed tired of staying in the same place. The current got so strong (in our safe secured harbor) that one of the main cleats (huge in solid wood) basically exploded due to the force exercised on it and that rope started running. We had to put the two thickest ropes onboard in the stern and one more at the bow. Fortunately a friend who used to work here came along unexpectadly and helped out, controling all these ropes and taking them in would have been close to impossible for only me and Nikollas to manage. 

Now we are basically safe (for the moment) but the ropes keep on destroying the bridge and the tidal currents keep throwing us around as if we were nothing but a toy in a pond. 

Aside from all this, the project wont happen until september, Im probably leaving, maybe Ill be going with a German boat here in the harbor to the Carribean next week to continue with another boat back home, but lets see how things turn out.