Horta, Azores

After a few days of very rough weather we are alongside in Horta, Azores. Massive winds and big swells rolling the boat all over the place, no one could sleep or walk around without getting thrown across the boat. Many new bruises. It is quite a funny thing, to be sitting at a dinner table in the belly of a huge boat like this and all of the sudden feel the thing heel over almost 30 degrees and everything go flying. Up on deck it was beautiful. The sea was steely grey and the wind was kicking up white caps. I finally saw some marine life. One loan dolphin, although he was flying along at 16 knots with us and jumping 10 feet out of the water doing spins in the middle of the storm. But really, after a week in the blue desert and no pods of dolphins, no whales, not even a fish on the line! Where are all the animals?!

We got in to Horta in the Azores last night at 2 am, and docked in about 40 knots of breeze. It was incredible! Driving rain and wind with these little twisters all over, and us in a massive 190 foot sailboat getting blown all over the place.

Its pretty here, but I haven't had much of a chance to see this island. We leave tomorrow afternoon for Viareggio, and another eight days at sea.

so so so tired! Must catch up on sleep tonight!

Horta, Azores

After a few days of very rough weather we are alongside in Horta, Azores. Massive winds and big swells rolling the boat all over the place, no one could sleep and walking around was just getting thrown across the boat! Many new bruises. It is quite a funny thing, to be sitting at a dinner table in the belly of a huge boat like this and all of the sudden feel the thing heel over almost 30 degrees and everything go flying. Up on deck it was beautiful. The sea was steely grey and the wind was kicking up white caps. I finally saw some marine life. One loan dolphin, although he was flying along at 16 knots with us and jumping 10 feet out of the water doing spins in the middle of the storm. But really, after a week in the blue desert and no pods of dolphins, no whales, not even a fish on the line! Where are all the animals?!

We got in to Horta in the Azores last night at 2 am, and docked in about 40 knots of breeze. It was incredible! Driving rain and wind with these little twisters all over, and us in a massive 190 foot sailboat getting blown all over the place.

Its pretty here, but I havent had much of a chance to see this island. We leave tomorrow afternoon for Viareggio, and another eight days at sea.

so so so tired! Must catch up on sleep tonight!

Daily

Huge swells and no wind in the ocean, the boat is rolling like mad! I am sitting out on the aft deck, getting some space to myself which honestly isn’t too hard on a 190 foot sailboat. No stars though, its too cloudy.

My average day: Wake up at 6:30, start the laundry, empty dishwasher, wipe down the crew mess, clean salon, hoover, check for fingerprints, more laundry, iron, check guests, make beds and clean guest heads, set table for lunch… I chill for a few hours after lunch, do yoga on the aft deck, lay down for a minute. Then I start on projects! The Chief Stew left me a list two pages long of things to get done before we reach Italy, so that keeps me pretty busy! Mellow afternoon, make tea, sit on the fly bridge and sing while the Mate plays guitar, stretch some more, stare at the horizon, chat with the owners, set the table for dinner, watch the sunset, make more tea, put a movie on, sleep. Not too bad, really.

We reach the Azores in a few more days, and there the owner and his family are flying out, along with the bosun. That means that starting Tuesday I will be doing watches again, and that’s always fun. We’ve come about 1500 miles and it is getting cold! Everyone is back in pants and sweaters already, its funny how quick the weather changes. We have some big weather moving in too, a proper gale.

Daily

Huge swells and no wind in the ocean, the boat is rolling like mad! I am sitting out on the aft deck, getting some space to myself which honestly isn’t too hard on a 190 foot sailboat. No stars though, its too cloudy.

My average day: Wake up at 6:30, start the laundry, empty dishwasher, wipe down the crew mess, clean salon, hoover, check for fingerprints, more laundry, iron, check guests, make beds and clean guest heads, set table for lunch… I chill for a few hours after lunch, do yoga on the aft deck, lay down for a minute. Then I start on projects! The Chief Stew left me a list two pages long of things to get done before we reach Italy, so that keeps me pretty busy! Mellow afternoon, make tea, sit on the fly bridge and sing while the Mate plays guitar, stretch some more, stare at the horizon, chat with the owners, set the table for dinner, watch the sunset, make more tea, put a movie on, sleep. Not too shabby!

We reach the Azores in a few more days, and there the owner and his family are flying out, along with the bosun. That means that starting Tuesday I will be doing watches again, and that’s always fun. We’ve come about 1500 miles and it is getting cold! Everyone is back in pants and sweaters already, its funny how quick the weather changes. We have some big weather moving in too, a proper gale. My first!!!

www.syriela.com

Crossing

Two and a half days into the Atlantic Ocean aboard SY Riela. It is a beautiful 57 meter Perini Navi sailboat, with 10 crew (myself included) and four guests, and we have been flying along at 15 knots. This crossing is so different then the one I did six months ago aboard Kings Ransom, every single part of it feels, well different! This time I had only 12 hours to get from St.Maarten to Antigua and move on board before we left, however there was none of the panic and nerves that I had before. I sit up in the fly bridge and stare at the horizon and laugh and joke with the rest of the crew, and the thoughts of isolation and fear of being so far from land never even cross my mind.

Everyone laughed at me yesterday, when in the middle of dinner I casually asked where we were actually going. No one can believe that I could get on a boat with no idea where it was heading! I feel adrift in more ways than one right now. My life has completely changed, all of the security and love that I had for years has ended and I am now entirely on my own. But, instead of being scared of being alone and apprehensive of what the future may hold, I am excited. So very sad, at the loss of my life with him and everything that went along with it, but looking forward to being completely emotionally independent relying on no one but myself for ultimate refuge.

I hit the jackpot with this crossing. On a random, metaphysical note I think that it is amazing that I asked the universe for help, and this is what it delivered. I needed a catalyst to propel me forward into my new life, I didn’t have the strength to leave it all behind myself, and I got what I asked for! A new boat paying me more than I have ever made in yachting (and in Euros too!!!), a few weeks with nothing but water to stare at to give me time to gather my courage and collect my thoughts, and then the Med, and whatever life brings there.

We’ll see what happens.

Crossing

Two and a half days into the Atlantic Ocean aboard SY Riela. It is a beautiful 57 meter Perini Navi sailboat, with 10 crew (myself included) and four guests, and we have been flying along at 15 knots. This crossing is so different then the one I did six months ago aboard Kings Ransom, every single part of it feels, well different! This time I had only 12 hours to get from St.Maarten to Antigua and move on board before we left, however there was none of the panic and nerves that I had before. I sit up in the fly bridge and stare at the horizon and laugh and joke with the rest of the crew, and the thoughts of isolation and fear of being so far from land never even cross my mind.

Everyone laughed at me yesterday, when in the middle of dinner I casually asked where we were actually going. No one can believe that I could get on a boat with no idea where it was heading! I feel adrift in more ways than one right now. My life has completely changed, all of the security and love that I had for years has ended and I am now entirely on my own. But, instead of being scared of being alone and apprehensive of what the future may hold, I am excited. So very sad, at the loss of my life with him and everything that went along with it, but looking forward to being completely emotionally independent relying on no one but myself for ultimate refuge.

I hit the jackpot with this crossing. On a random, metaphysical note I think that it is amazing that I asked the universe for help, and this is what it delivered. I needed a catalyst to propel me forward into my new life, I didn’t have the strength to leave it all behind myself, and I got what I asked for! A new boat paying me more than I have ever made in yachting (and in Euros too!!!), a few weeks with nothing but water to stare at to give me time to gather my courage and collect my thoughts, and then the Med, and whatever life brings there.

We’ll see what happens.

Twists and Turns and I am going to the MED!

Wow its funny how quickly life changes.
One minute I am sitting at a friend's house in St.Maarten, obsessing over my past week and nursing a sunburn from yet another day spent at the beach with my girlfriends, and the next minute I am packing my bags getting ready to sail back across the ocean!

I got a phone call out of the blue tonight from a crew agent that I havent had any work from in over a year, asking me if I am interested in a Stewardess position aboard a 57 meter sailing yacht leaving Antigua for Italy TOMORROW! I said yes, and all of the sudden my horizons changed yet again! The last time I crossed the Atlantic Ocean was on a 76' catamaran and it took me a solid six weeks of freaking out and nervousness before I could make myself get on board. This time I have less than 24 hours notice and I am out of here! Its funny though, you know right before you make a huge decision and you think for a moment, knowing that if you say the things that you are about to, you are committed and there is no turning back? This was one of those moments. A spontanious, life-altering choice that will propel me not up the Eastern seaboard on the route I had thought I would take this summer, but across 3000 miles of deep blue water to Europe, the Med and whatever happens to be waiting for me there!

Keeping the butterflies at bay, it hasnt really hit me yet! But I figure the fastest was to get over a broken heart is to make a big move. Hopefully this one will be big enough!

Twists and turns and I am off to the Med

Its funny how quickly life changes.
One minute I am sitting at a friend's house in St.Maarten, obsessing over my past week and nursing a sunburn from yet another day spent at the beach with my girlfriends, and the next minute I am packing my bags getting ready to sail back across the ocean!

I got a phone call out of the blue tonight from a crew agent that I haven't had any work from in over a year, asking me if I am interested in a Stewardess position aboard a 57 meter sailing yacht leaving Antigua for Italy tomorrow! I said yes, and all of the sudden my horizons changed yet again! The last time I crossed the Atlantic Ocean was on a 76' catamaran and it took me a solid six weeks of freaking out and nervousness before I could make myself get on board. This time I have less than 24 hours notice and I am out of here! Its funny though, you know right before you make a huge decision and you think for a moment, knowing that if you say the things that you are about to, you are committed and there is no turning back? This was one of those moments. A spontaneous  life-altering choice that will propel me not up the Eastern seaboard on the route I had thought I would take this summer, but across 3000 miles of deep blue water to Europe, the Med and whatever happens to be waiting for me there!

Keeping the butterflies at bay, it hasn't really hit me yet! But I figure the fastest was to get over a broken heart is to make a big move. Hopefully this one will be big enough!

Back in SXM

Well here I am again! Hung up my winter coats and packed away all of my long pants after a lovely six week holiday back with my family and friends in Olympia, WA and headed back to the sun, sand and warm waters of the Caribbean. Its funny to be back, when I stepped off the plane it felt as though I was returning home. Three years ago when I first arrived on St.Maarten I never guessed that this island would become such a large part of my life. But it has, and although the life I was living and man that I loved are no longer here waiting for me, it is still good to be back.

I walked off the plane, dropped my bags on the floor and went straight to the beach for a long swim in an ocean so blue it looks like its glowing. A school of huge sliver angelfish came by to check me out, a turtle poked his head up nearby, and laying there supported by salty water I realized (for the second time this week) that I am going to be ok.

Next Mission: Find a Job!

Back in SXM

Well here I am again! Hung up my winter coats and packed away all of my long pants after a lovely six week holiday back with my family and friends in Olympia, WA and headed back to the sun, sand and warm waters of the Caribbean. Its funny to be back, when I stepped off the plane it felt as though I was returning home. Three years ago when I first arrived on St.Maarten I never guessed that this island would become such a large part of my life. But it has, and although the life I was living and man that I loved are no longer here waiting for me, it is still good to be back. 

I walked off the plane, dropped my bags on the floor and went straight to the beach for a long swim in an ocean so blue it glows. A school of huge sliver angelfish came by to check me out, a turtle poked his head up nearby, and laying there supported by salty water I realized (for the second time this week) that I am going to be ok.