June 9th: Cyrus Relief

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Volpaia Time: 19:00
Zulu Time: 01:00
12 09.73 N
125 51.20 W

Speed: 7.8 knots
Wind: 16 knots 042 T
Course: 208 T
Seas: 5-7 ft
Crew: Shay watching a movie, Colby sleeping, Brett & Alix cooking desert, Liz helming, Cyrus writing the log

Comments:

Today we officially entered the tropics. The event was marked by Brett, our cook, serving dinner while wearing nothing but his underwear and exclaiming "Is anyone else hot?". Today also officially marked the first day that none of the crew could remember what day of the week it is and also coincided with the longest that Alix has gone without opening her laptop since she was a little girl. This is Alix's first ocean crossing. It is also the first ocean crossing for 2 other crew members, Colby and Brett, and although Liz, Shay and I have crossed this ocean before, this will be the longest any of us have been at sea for consecutive days, without making land fall.

Today also marked an important, albeit not anticipated, first for me. This will be the first time that I have been responsible for 5 other souls while sailing in the same quadrant of the ocean as a hurricane. This fact alone has been a heavy burden on me and it hasn't been until today, having finally achieved an undoubtedly safe distance from her, that I have realized how much it has weighed on me and my normally light hearted personality. I stood at the helm today, alone on deck, contemplating this accomplishment with tears of relief flowing down my cheeks. It is not a position I would ever want to be in again, nor impress upon anyone else. It is however, an occasional reality of this profession, and one that is often overlooked when the romantic visions of a yacht sailing around the world comes to mind.

Today was important because it wasn't important, and there in lays the simple beauty.

Cyrus

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