Where the Magic Happens by Caspar Craven

Author:Caspar Craven
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Galapagos and Beyond

Our anchorage on Isabela in the Galapagos Islands was surrounded by marine life—swimming and diving sea lions, penguins, pelicans, and blue-footed boobies diving from great heights to catch fish.

We explored the lava tunnels; we snorkeled with white-tipped reef sharks, turtles, and seahorses, seeing huge manta rays and colonies of blue-footed boobies and masked boobies. Over a week in the islands we saw hundreds of marine iguanas and giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Center. We walked to the beach of Tortuga on Santa Cruz and played in the surf on a pristine beach. I still couldn’t believe we’d sailed all the way there. Of course I knew about the Galapagos—but I had never really appreciated their significance for species diversity, and now, as our family’s major milestone.

From Galapagos we faced the longest single passage in our adventure, a 3,200-mile ocean sail in one of the remotest parts of the world. The Pacific stretching in front of us was exciting and daunting in equal measure. This was the big one.

We were meant to leave the Galapagos with the World ARC fleet but on our final checks we found some minor problems with our rig and the steering that needed fixing. Rather than rush our repairs that night, we sought advice from Oyster, making our repairs in the morning in the calm of our anchorage. The racing me wanted to get going. The prudent me said we’d be crazy to set sail on our longest passage without doing all we could to be ready. Prudence won (as it always does at sea).

As our first day back at sea progressed, we saw whales a mile away—we could see the water spouts every minute or so—and tuna fishing boats, including a main ship and seven or eight smaller vessels like a mother duck and her ducklings. Although we departed a day behind the rest of the fleet, Aretha is a fast boat and we gradually started to overtake other sailboats, working our way back into the fleet.

We were still in the doldrums with constant wind shifts: big, confused seas coming from many directions; squalls with strong wind and intense rain; Aretha’s sails flogging and clanking violently depending on conditions—a damp boat and we got little sleep.

Captain’s Log, 06°00’S 96°32’W, March 8, 2015, Day 3, Galapagos to Marquesas Islands—Damage to the Mainsail

We are suddenly going slower and there is a flapping sound from on deck. I’m trying to get ready for a 4am call with the UK. Aretha won’t wait and I have to go investigate immediately.

I look out of the hatch and can see the mainsail is limp and flogging. Instantly I know we have done some damage and can see we have ripped our mainsail. This is not good news. Our mainsail is the primary power force for sailing Aretha. Without it, sailing becomes very slow.

The phone rings for my call. I answer and have to break off immediately to go fix the sail. I wake Nichola as I will need help.

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