Sailing Lista

Lista is old (built 1935). But so young at heart and plenty of life left in her yet!!! (As long as we keep wetting the decks...) Gaff ketch through and through. Bashing thought the high seas and generally looking good whilst doing it. I love this boat! (barco, gotta practice that spanish! I confuse so many people over here (generally?). Apparently my accent is ok for an English person which ends up in people thinking that i´m fluent. Lots of long replies to simple questions. No lo se!)

Nothing compares to the moment, after leaving a port, when we´ve just got the sails up (up to 4 so far, Main,Mizzen,Jib,Staysail! More to come once Dave has figured out how/exactly where they go!) and then the engine is cut. All you hear is the sound of the ample breeze filling the sails, the playful splash of the waves against the hull and the occasional bird squawking in the distance. Amazing. Of course, sometimes there is no ample breeze (gale force is a more appropriate term, or worse, no wind at all) and the playful splash is more of a demonic swell sent from the deepest darkest deapths of hell intent on smashing you into tiny pieces. Or again, arguably worse, sitting on a mill pond that stretches as far as the eye can see in every direction. Will there ever be wind again?

Night sailing has to be one of the highlights generally. Phosphorescence in our wake, more stars then are possible to comprehend and the Wheel in your hand to maintain the course. Mental. It is slightly more dangerous at night. In the day you can see for miles around (fog permitting) but at night everything can merge into a murky blackness with nothing to focus on. Then, out of nowhere, there is a glow on the horizon, which turns into distinct lights. It is possible (with practice and skill I confess I do not possess, yet, basics coming along well though) to discern the type, size and direction of a boat simply from the arrangement lights you can see. However, it all gets slightly more manic when you enter shipping lanes with fishing boats all around and they are all going everywhere with no apparent rhyme or reason. Naturally when this happened to us the other night the seas picked up and we got tossed all over the place. I love it!!!


Right now we´re in Vigo. There is no wind and the little that there is wants us to stay in the area. No problem though, we´ve been hanging out on the Iles de Cies and Iles Sans Martino just outside Vigo. Both beautiful island bird sanctuaries. Long white beaches and for the 1st time in my Spanish experiance, a lack of epic amounts of concrete! I don´t know why but these Spaniards seam to love covering every available piece of land in grey, lifeless, oppressing and sometimes downright ugly concrete structures. Generally the coastline is splattered with stuff. The Cities can be beautiful but after not long the grey closes in. In a word, depressing.

However, due to some mirracle these islands have been preserved and they are amazing. Totally stunning. See above picture. We anchored in the bay approxamately in the center of the picture. Stayed for 3 days and probably heading back out tomorrow to wait for the wind to change before heading south. Nothing like swimming to shore before heading off exploring. Naturally this ends up on the highest peak around with a beer. Words fail me, and this is only Spain.

On the aforementioned night shifts there is often plenty of time to think. The enormity of what I´m planning hits me every now and again. Then I read "Voyage of Mad Men", the story of the 1st single handed sailing race around the world. That is serious round the world travelling.
One day...

Anywho. I hear Clare drumming with her new drumsticks on the wall outside. That girls go rhythm!!! Time to go!!! Adios!