Just like that uncle of yours, that’s a chain smoker, that reeks of old cigarette smoke but doesn’t seem to notice… .we all get used to the smells around us. We acclimatise and after a while can’t even smell them anymore.
Well land has a smell, and each piece of land has a different smell. Some smell earthy and some others smell floral etc.
As Waiata and her crew have spent three weeks or there about’s with nothing but the smell of the yacht and the sea they will have lost their smell of land.
As they approach land, they may well smell it before they see it. I wonder what it might smell like, does Martinique smell of tropical islands, of coconut and flowers, like Connie tells me Palma did both times they arrived in Mallorca or will it smell earthy like wet ground?
The other giveaway, other than their GPS, that land is approaching, will be the reappearance of land based birds. Often blown out to sea, caught on a wind to strong to fight against, they are tired and very happy to see a floating island that they might get a ride upon until they are within reach of land again.
I Understand, Waiata has had many a stow-away bird that they have befriended for a number of days until finally land falls in sight and they are off back to the safety of ground and perhaps full of stories of their own adventures.
I think, one of the things I would like to experience the most myself, is that arrival, that anticipation and sensual experience, let alone emotional experience as land grows ever bigger on the horizon.
As Waiata now has land insight and all these things are coming aboard for the crew to enjoy, the success the, smells, the relief perhaps? the joy of accomplishment.
I so wish that we, the Shore crew of Waiata, Myself, Roger, Mike and Alex could be there with Rum punches in hand to celebrate their arrival.
As our small adventure in helping them across an ocean comes to an end, I am sure theirs is just opening up as the next island is only 60Nm away and the next and the next.
Enjoy those Rum punches Greg, Connie and Nick.
Can’t wait to read your stories.
One Response
Fantastically well written Matt, it seems that it’s in the gene pool 😬
It was a pleasure and May I say a privilege to form part of the team that took Waiata from the holiday climes and atmosphere of the Canary Islands through the longer than anticipated stop over in Mindelo and across The vast expanse of water that is the Atlantic.
Seeing Waiata safely at anchor in the Saint Anne bay of Martinique is a relief to us as land crew but must be somewhat of a blessing to our Wet Crew comrades.
Break out the Rum 🥃 and bask in the memories
Congratulations to all.