Transatlantic Voyage - Day 4

Sunset. Day 4 of our transatlantic Vagabond Adventure. The captain informed us that as of noon today we had traveled a total of 800 miles, were somewhere west of Rio de Janeiro, and we’re looking at 4000 miles of the Atlantic ahead before we arrived in Lisbon. This put us roughly at the same latitude as Johannesburg, South Africa, and floating over water nearly 6000 feet deep.

In six days, we would cross the equator and instantly pass from the austral fall into the northern hemisphere’s spring. Not that the weather on either side of the equator cared much. Equator and equal enjoy the same Indo-European root and hot is always the best word to describe latitude “0” anywhere, except possibly the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The morning seas are calm. Clouds hide the sun and sky. Cyn and I were trying to develop a routine. Cyn worked out in the morning and, in her absence, I would dictate, or struggle to dictate, the notes that I had been scribbling on buses and ferries. They were often so inscrutable, I’d have to stop talking to decipher my own writing. Siri didn’t help matters; often slaughtering my attempts at dictation. Instead of "Ushuaia," I get “which is,” or “rather than” or “all of this” or the cryptic “checking into Alves.” '“Scythe” becomes “size.” “Mist encircles” becomes “missed and circles.” But then, every once in a while, Siri would nail a word like “Magellanic.” With all the discussion about AI taking over the human race, Siri makes me feel safer.

I decide to relieve my frustrations by hitting the gym which has a strange and somewhat intimidating weight system designed to avoid dropping traditional weights on your foot as the sea rolls and pitches, a tangle of pulleys and wires.

With some time on the ship, I even get a chance to read, and I enjoy another one of Michael Palin’s wonderful travel books Sahara while comparing his experiences with ours in mysterious Morocco, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fez and Marrakesh. (Look for my Dispatches about Morocco. I’ll get to them soon.)

Along with this commentary, I’ve added a couple of beautiful sunsets that we witnessed and a little bit of the entertainment Ponant’s ship has provided—five very talented dancers regaling us with a beautifully choreographed and apt rendition of Marco Polo’s travels. They did it all in half an hour. If only I could be that efficient.

My notes have now been jotted. Time for me to ring the butler for another hot chocolate 😊.