Ready to cross the Atlantic?

1 sailboat, 5 men, 2,083 nautical miles, 14–17 days…Let’s go!

It took us seven days to travel from our starting point in Fuerteventura to the island of Do Sal in Cape Verde. But the crossing was marked by ups and downs, and our crew had to overcome quite a few obstacles. On the one hand, we sometimes battled five-meter-high waves—which, fortunately, came rushing up from behind—while on other days it was so calm that we had to run the engine for several hours. On the other hand, we enjoyed the sunrises and sunsets as well as the magnificent stars in the pitch-black sky, cooked well, and caught some fish.

But of course, long crossings take a toll on both the boat and the crew. Not only did some on board struggle with seasickness, and night watches are a bit of a strain—but miles away from the coast of Western Sahara, the engine stopped running in the middle of the night. For hours, we pored over manuals, cleaned the diesel filters, bled the engine, and nothing helped. At 5 a.m., we went back to sleep. Fortunately, the wind picked up again, and we no longer needed the engine. The next day, we were finally able to solve the problem—we had overlooked the pre-diesel filter, which was installed under the berth and was completely clogged.

A few days later, we suffered another “loss.” The newly purchased Parasailor (a lightwind sail with a surface area of 140 square meters) couldn’t withstand a strong gust and a wave that hit us from behind and was torn to shreds. Fortunately, I found someone here in Mindelo who can sew it back together.

We’re now spending our last few days in Mindelo doing repairs, maintenance, and upkeep on the boat, as well as stocking up on provisions for the long crossing westward. Of course, we’re also enjoying the summery temperatures—over 28 degrees—and taking the occasional break to go for a swim.

Just in time for the crossing, I’ve activated “Live Tracking” on the website, so you can follow my journey live.

We wish you all a merry and stress-free holiday season.