RADIO NETHERLANDS WERELDOMROEP
“Bark EUROPA: In the Wake of the Ancients”
Part Four: The Roaring Forties
By: Todd Jarrell
SUGGESTED INTRO: The tall ship EUROPA soon returns to her homeport in The Hague from a forty thousand-mile, two-year grand tour. Returning from Pacific waters, EUROPA chose a rare tall ship “doubling” of stormy Cape Horn, and journalist Todd Jarrell sailed as part of the crew. In this third in a series of reports chronicling their adventure, EUROPA enters the Roaring Forties and the Furious Fifties latitudes of the South Pacific, bound for Cape Horn. :28
FORCE 5—Waves on the bow. Mask beneath next three para’s beginning fade up at “Past the dreaded…”, please
EUROPA made the Roaring Forties latitudes four days ago, and while not expecting the worst, exactly, we also did not expect days of bright, scrubbing sunshine. Past the dreaded calms of the Doldrums and Horse Latitudes we are finally in the trade winds with all square sails set and lifting.
BEN – 4:15 “OK, Everybody ready? OK. Een, twee… Een, twee… Een, twee… OK, Hold! Take one step forward… OK. Up behind!” 4:30 Disc 6; Track 2 :15
For days the sea swells have regularly averaged seven meters, the biggest reach ten-plus meters in height. They are impressive, these ranks of waves, backs bent to their mission, focused only for the horizon; we watch their endless migration, mesmerized.
FORCE 5—Waves on the bow, cont. :05
The nights are unusually clear; constellations queue up like aids for Astronomy 101: The diminutive gaggle of the Pleiades; the Bull’s gleaming eye, Aldabaran; and Orion the Hunter, upside down now, and appearing more like Orion the Cheerleader. The jib boom nods on the swells, pointing south, genuflecting before the sparkling Southern Cross.
FORCE 5—Waves on the bow, cont. :05
The ship’s passing triggers the sea’s bioluminescent algae and the bow wave boils with tiny neon-green lights. Dolphins, though not visible themselves, weave smoky luminous vapor trails before the cutwater like thin, erratic twisters. Those coming off watch hasten below to warm bunks with whole new images to illuminate their dreams.
Most time off is jealously reserved for sleeping, which has it’s own problems in rolling seas. But other interests here are varied: self-taught classes in Dutch, Spanish, pennywhistle, and a celestial navigation have sprouted amongst crew.
NAV CLASS – “Oh! Z is the direction from the AP to the celestial body, right? To the bearing.” “Yes.” “Ok” “The AP to the GHA, uh, yea. Yep, Yep, Yep, Yep, Yep, Yep, Yep,”” “Okay… Oh! I got it.” (Disc, 2 Track 8 @ :21 to :42) :21”
We have completely adapted to ship’s life now, working in the watch system, climbing aloft, sail handling, and spelling the lookouts and helm. The day belongs to ship’s maintenance and the dark hours belong to housekeeping—our daily bread is made by night, and everyone gets a turn.
The ship’s cook, Marianne, instructs on quality, as even the first-time baker’s bread is not immune to the critique of the entire crew. During a seventy-day sail variety and conservation are critical. There are no corner stores in the Southern Ocean.
MARIANNE –2:20 “…And then what’s also handy for brown bread is gluten powder. Until we are running out of it and I am sure that will happen soon, we have to do without then…” 2:35 Disc 3 Track 10 -:15
The galley is the warm heart of the ship and conversation is always welcome to accompany the gurgle of water whirling the opposite way down the drain. The blue waters swish and spin in the portholes through which one can see the aqua depths and up to the restless silvern surface.
PORTLIGHT—Swirling on the portlights heard clearly in the galley
The reminders of risks we run are—and should be—ever present. A quick-release blaze orange “Personal Flotation Device” hangs in cords above every bunk; each day it’s the first and last thing I see. Safety harnesses are mandatory; we traverse the ship clipped to lines rigged along deck, which is regularly awash.
Long nettings are lashed above the deck rails keeping those on the ship in the ship. These are only half-jokingly referred to as “crew strainers”. These may be modern times but a rogue wave will sweep you as cleanly off the ship now as a hundred years ago.
Squalls find us regularly and in anticipation we group around the running lines of the royal, topgallant sails, and then we wait. And wait. These unlimbered juggernauts advance, whipping the waves beneath. The sky turns ashen gray, then snow, sleet or hail begins to fly as the squall hits,
SQUALL – Disc 7 track 31 Good at start and clean builds great at :16 to :22 / 2;40 sounds like rain – so much water being carried / Good @ 1:00 / 1:47 / very strong throughout… V good @ 2:30… / :10
The squall cants the ship to leeward leaving no doubt in the need to loose halyards and dump the wind… Now. Crew hurries aloft to secure the sails from the claw of the wind. Here is the work of the square rig sailor, climbing masts a hundred feet tall and more, laying out on the yards that describe wide parabolas in the sky, standing only on footropes to haul in and secure the massive sails beating crazily in the wind.
SQUALL cont. :05
Fetching the Furious Fifties latitudes we do not dare to tarry; all possible sails are carried set and trimmed braced sharp on clean southwesterly winds. Captain Klaas discusses our progress at the daily two o’clock meeting.
KLAAS 5 – (4:18) “Okay, um, 4:23 Seth, what was the new record for today?” “One hundred and sixty four miles.” Big cheer. “So we did well, and with not that much wind we had Force 4/5 that’s it…So, okay, we are doing right.” 4;43 Disc 5 – Track 13 :20
Like a mobile suspended from the main mast sea birds wheel about us night and day. Most impressive are the albatross, with astonishing wingspans and airbus bodies. They loop the ship without end, skimming and banking, flashing snow-white bellies that in the distance seem as white caps freed from the sea.
PENNYWHISTLE—Please fade up from “Over the horizon…’ and fade out sometime past the end of the piece
Over the horizon lies Cape Horn, set as our southernmost waypoint seven thousand miles ago; if this wind holds we will soon fetch that infamous rock. An albatross sweeping a grand arc above us might see it even now.
© Todd Jarrell—2002
FORCE 5 # 1
BEN # 2
NAV CLASS # 3
MARIANNE # 4
PORTLIGHT # 5
SQUALL # 6
KLAAS 5 # 7
PENNYWHISTLE # 8