Back on board (Wiebe Radstake)

Back on board, after traveling south for a few days by bus, blablacar, hitchhiking and train, Suzan, my wife and I arrived on board in Baiona Spain. Not wanting to travel by plane is quite a challenge, but I prefer to see such beautiful countries from a train window as the airports that are the same everywhere in the world.

It is always a special time before you go on board for a longer period of time. A few months away from home, friends and family, away from that world. No more feeding chickens but holding your plate in the Galley, no more going through the Zeeland mud to the woodshed but a lap around the bow in the salty waves. Daily life is again about the weather reports and not about the internet with all its empty news. Some things remain the same: reading a book when you're not on duty, playing the guitar outdoors, writing pieces for later.

The Tres Hombres are doing well, the crew and trainees are working well together to tighten the rigging, foot lines are being tightened again, the galley is being supplied while the food cooking continues.

I do my rounds to see how the crew is doing, whether they are having a good time, whether they need anything for the next crossing. With boatswain Jeroen I discuss the technical condition of the ship, the rigging and tools, with Paul and Adam the helmsmen we discuss navigation and how the group is doing. I discuss with the cook Soraia whether there is enough food, whether the cooking is going well and whether there is enough help.

This week 5 new trainees will come on board, together with them we will prepare the ship, they will learn the sails, the lines will receive lessons about sailing on board a square-rigged ship. We will also load 28 empty barrels to fill them with the best rum on La Palma, Barbados, Martinique and the Dominican Republic.

The weather forecast, tides and distances are examined together and then it will soon be time to put to sea. Just have to wait a little longer for the northern winds that will take us to La Palma. We're all excited to get out on the Atlantic!