Dolphins jumping for the entrance

It is now hot. Like tropics hot. It happened quickly.

The passage from St Helena to Fernando took approximately 236:01:08 hours. Although not exactly 10,000 hours, but that is a lot of hours.

Approximately 130 m2, REIMAGINED has shown us another side of sailing on this leg. Cape Town to St Helena was cold, with more significant seas and sailing at angles to avoid the weather. St Helena to Fernando was more downwind, with large rolling waves directly on the Rhumb line.

And this leg has me thinking. In life, it is often easier to visit someone than have people over. When visiting someone, you roll by the local grocery store, pick up a pie or maybe a bottle of wine, and head over. When people visit you, the tasks are endless: food and drink prep, cleaning, timing out things, etc.

In sailing, it is precisely the opposite. Leaving is easy. You pick up the hook (anchor), and off you go.

Whereas the entrance is much more complicated.

In sailing, they say you can pick where you want to go or when you want to leave, but rarely do you have the two together. The factors that affect your sailing are out of your control.

As we approached Fernando, we needed to sort out a lot. There was the prep paperwork, etc., and getting the boat ready, but most importantly, picking the timing.

We needed to make a call. We could slow down the sail, which oddly makes the sailing less comfortable, or move with pace and enter at night.

We decided to slow it down.

As we turned into a relatively defined anchorage in Fernando at 6 am, there were tour groups in dragon boats, people sea kayaking, dolphins literally jumping. It was almost like a Disney movie. But as we approached a spot to anchor, the watch on the bow noticed something. Someone had strung a 100m long unmarked fishing next across the anchorage.

Some fast reversing and circling helped us avoid it. But if we had entered at night, in a rush to get here, we would have hit it. That could have caused material damage to the boat.

It is important to be intentionally planful. Sometimes, the path seems so easy. Sure, we will rock up into the anchorage at night. No worries; we have the charts, and it is easy. But being more strategic is essential. Quick is not always the best option.

This place looks incredible and like a tropical paradise. Exploration to come. Which hopefully will include more jumping dolphins. And more posts to come.

Can you hear the drums, Fernando?