ship’s log 4: first sail

On August 10th, we were finally able to return to our boat for an entire three weeks. This time, we have big plans ahead. Our goal is to transport the boat from Brighton, UK, over to our new marina in the Netherlands. This journey encompasses approximately 180 nautical miles (330km), carrying us from the English coast across the English Channel, one of the busiest maritime routes in the world. Therefore, it is indispensable, that we ensure Lív is ready for this big adventure.

The primary challenge we face is our lack of knowledge regarding her performance; we have never sailed her before. Thus, today marks the day we will take her out of the marina and into the ocean. Not only will we be raising her sails for the first time, but it will also be our cats’ first sailing experience on the ocean. It goes without saying that we are feeling nervous.

Despite facing some challenges while exiting the marina, we maintained a sense of confidence. However, once we emerged from the safety of our well-protected harbor, we were confronted with large waves that caught us off guard. The weather appeared so calm and peaceful from the dock. The cross sea was quite rough, and with the wind picking up, we opted to deploy the reefed headsail only.

After about 30 minutes of sailing, during which cupboards swung open and items flew around the cabin due to the choppy waves, we reached our limit and decided to return to the marina. All in all, the experience was still a success—there was no damage, no injuries, and, most importantly, we managed to avoid raising our voices at one another. Upon our safe return to the marina, we took pride in our achievement and decided to call it a day.