Leaving Ibiza

22nd and 23rd June

We left early. Tony assured me the wind would be good and we had the sails out almost before we were out of the anchorage. There was not a drop of wind, nothing, the sea was like a sheet of glass. My plan was to sit and catch up with my blogs, as I had done on the passage from Mallorca to Ibiza so I was happy. I got out the computer, got myself settled in the cockpit, opened the computer and... couldn't see a thing. Even at this hour the sun was much too strong. End of plan one.

Slowly, the wind started to blow. Gently at first, then gathering strength; we were soon able to switch off the engine and let the sails take over. It was a fantastic sail, the wind blew all day. Tony decided to get the staysail out. 'Why?', I asked. 'Just to give it an airing.,' he shrugged. So we hauled it out and zoomed along on full possible sail for three for four hours. It gave us, maybe, an extra half knot of speed. It all counts, I suppose. Then Tony unexpectedly suggested we get the staysail in. Uh? 'I suppose,if you want.' Hmmm... the wind was a bit stronger than before. 'I think we'll just reef the genoa.' said Tony. Uh?...'If you insist'. I don't always agree to reefing early but we were enjoying such a peaceful sail, why risk spoiling it by having too much sail up. In fact, we didn't lose speed to begin with as the wind was strengthening all the time but, as always, the wind eventually dropped. We were so close, was it worth pulling the sail out again, we'd be there in next to no time. It was and we did. An hour later we were there, engine on, sails in, anchor ready.

How do we pass the time when we are on passage? Well, for me, I go below decks as little as possible. I get seasick and below deck is often a bad idea. So I sit in the cockpit and I read, I watch the horizon, I daydream, and I doze. That's about it. Occasionally a sail needs changing, occasionally I need to pull a rope... or press the button that works the electric winch. The autopilot is almost always on so there isn't even any need to take the helm. In fine weather I usually manage to go below to prepare food but as soon as there is any sea running Tony has to fend for himself. As for Tony, he potters around, spends time at the chart table, does some computing, generally keeps busy. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to make a really long passage. We have made three and four day passages and I always feel we are just getting into a routine when we arrive at our destination. So I wonder what a longer passage must be like, what it would be like crossing the Atlantic, for example, the wind behind us, those great rollers pushing us along. But it isn't going to happen.