…but you can adjust your sails.
At sea, you need to be flexible. And alert. Does it look like a beautiful day? In an hour, a few dark clouds could easily appear.
That flexibility, alertness, and the ability to respond adequately to changing circumstances are what we all need now. Not just at sea, but everywhere in the world, from one moment to the next.
The Corona Storm
We are not plagued by Boreas (the north wind) or Zephyr (the west wind). This storm is called Corona. We can only hope it passes quickly and, in the meantime, trim the sails correctly, reef in time, and perhaps even heave to and wait.
After the first corona cases, Norway immediately closed all schools, public buildings, and borders. Anyone still in Spitsbergen was flown home on a quarantine flight. Everyone who wants or needs to enter Norway is placed in isolation for two weeks. No discussion (of course).
Impact on the Baltic’s Refit
We ourselves are still fully engaged with the refit of our two-masted vessel, the Baltic, and therefore do not have to cancel or postpone any sailing trips. However, the progress of the work is suffering, and the next steps are uncertain.
Some of the shipyard staff are at home with cold symptoms. Anyone not working for or on behalf of the shipyard is not allowed to enter the premises during working hours. So, we can only sporadically visit the Baltic to see how it’s progressing, if everything is going according to plan, or to work on the ship ourselves.
So, we’re heaving to and waiting.
In the meantime, we are overhauling the sea valves in our new workshop, which we set up two weeks ago, close to home (and which we are now super happy with!). The escape hatches are getting a makeover, the steering gear will soon be as good as new, we are tackling all the pumps, and building dorade boxes for the ventilators.
Once Corona has passed, we will revisit the Baltic at the shipyard in Harlingen and see how we will set the sails then.
19/03/2020
