Atlantic Crossing Ep 2 of 4 - Sailing Bermuda to Azores

Part two of the story of our crossing of the North Atlantic Ocean on our 37 foot sailboat, Windrush. In this episode, we sail east from Bermuda for over two weeks of open ocean to the Azores. We steer north, even northwest, to dodge gales, beating into the wind, then glide in the east setting Gulf Stream, where we encounter orcas and near the iceberg limit. We battle an east wind into the Azores, diverting to the magical island of Flores, where we anchor on a black sand beach surrounded by verdant cliffs and waterfalls. We do science, see more dolphins, sail through squalls, and experience 16 more incredible sunrises and sunsets, thankful for each one and for each other as we take in the splendid isolation of our longest ever ocean passage. And we reflect on service and sacrifice. Skipper's log from halfway day, as we mark 1,000 miles from Bermuda, and 1,000 more to the Azores: "Our team works beautifully together, and I think about how unlikely it is for us all to find ourselves here, setting aside other priorities to make this happen. I’m grateful for each of them and our families ashore. Reading a poem by a fellow skipper who had gone through a hard time in life but pulled through, encouraging others to see the beauty in this adventure, reminded me of the meaning to be found out here. The simplicity of focusing on the passage and stripping away all other trappings. But also the symphony of effort - mental and physical - this journey requires: sail management, passage planning, weather routing, managing energy and waste, watch keeping, the galley…that shared effort and shared experience facing the elements in a place where we must rely entirely on ourselves and each other is rare in modern life."