53º North, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, May 27th: Land ho!

Imagine the feeling, waking up to a very faint screech that you can't really identify. Deep down you know it isn't a sail a loose halyard, a rusty shroud or the boom just breathing away. You can't shake the gut feeling that it is a animal, a land bird that announces a shoreline on the horizon...

Ok, fine, I've slightly exaggerated that part: I woke and saw a massive set of islands on starboard, with cliffs of dark volcanic rock, deep green vegetation and with its higher plateaus shrouded in clouds and fog. No bird, no instinct, no gut feeling: just an obvious big-ass cliff.

I just thought I should write a dramatic introduction, it felt more appropriate for the occasion than “I woke up, I saw land, cool”.

The first land in this harsh and let's face it bleak environment was actually not Unalaska but having on starboard, as we were moving east, meant we were in the Bearing Sea: the Pacific Ocean was behind us, with its 4,000 miles of awesome sailing. The feeling of satisfaction I got at this point is somewhat unbelievable!

Such a long way from the starting point of our journey, from an arrival eight weeks prior on the largest sailing vessel full of wonderful strangers.

We were then greeted by a pod of porpoises and large flock of Arctic birds waiting on the surface for a careless fish, flying every now and then around our mast, utterly disinterested as our presence was not a sign of fish like the fishing trawlers that usually navigate these shores.

On watch, sleep, next island is Unalaska!

From the Bearing Sea,

Vicou the Sea Gypsy