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Writer's pictureCindy et Louis

Swimming in the Atlantic Ocean

Updated: Mar 19, 2023

Everyone gets up later considering the night we spent. Only Louis seems to have slept well with all these swells. One wonders why!

We try to repair the windlass to raise the anchor and leave but it does not work. So we will raise the anchor with the only force of our arms... and the drill with its special end piece. It will have been very practical in the adventure! Despite that with its power: watch out for your fingers once again and to the your wrists! We will use the drill for about 100 feet and the last 50 feet of chain use our hands. As soon as are were able to take off the anchor from the bottom, it was more relaxed for the ascent!


We had to sail around 2h30 to get to our destination but as it's a beautiful day and we're not in a hurry, we start with the engine, because there's little wind, then put up the genoa (without engine) for a few hours to take advantage of sailing and its comfort on the water. It's so much nicer to sail anyway.


Since the women wanted to bathe in the morning, because sticky with humidity and salt, but did not want to go to Angra Bay for fear of body waste in the water, the captain will acquiesce to their request and will go further out. We stop near 2 islands/blocks of rock where people come to dive, to jump into the water and cool off. Great time! A “dip” in the Atlantic Ocean! Special mention here to the mother of Louis who at 79 managed to climb and descend the ladder like a pro. Really impressive! She even swam around the boat. I jumped in and out so quickly that there is no proof, but the captain was proud of me.



Then a little further, Christiane suggests that I go in the water to be pulled by the boat… why not! We put on our life jackets, the rest of the crew watches for dangerous physalies and we are in the water! The captain makes turns whenever a physalia is in sight. Remember that they can have up to 40m of “tentacles”. What a beautiful moment! Thanks to Christiane for suggesting the idea, we loved it!



We arrive at the marina of Praia da Victoria around 3:45 p.m. and moor to a boat very close to the entrance. The beach is only a few feet from us. We will go tomorrow to the marina to see if we can stay at the quay and see if we can spend the winter at this marina because the marina manager was not there when we arrived.


The rest of the crew leaves for their hotel, in front of the beach and we meet for dinner in a nearby restaurant. Next to the hotel I should say. We will be entitled to light rain, almost a drizzle during supper but will be protected by large umbrellas. Alcatra do polvo for me. A kind of octopus stew. Excellent but very salty.



That concludes the day! Our first moment alone in the boat to put everything back in order, but we will fall like flies… into the arms of Morpheus.

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