Today started slowly with no sign of good winds and a light drizzle in the air. There were no activities planned so it was a chance for a lie-in and a lazy morning. Then a buzz started to go round – there’s going to be an announcement after lunch. Rumours even began circulating that we would be heading off this very afternoon. At 1pm we gathered on the quayside as the skipper, Carsten, brought out a map. The news – we set sail tomorrow (Thursday) morning for the North Sea and the British Isles. That’s the good news – the not so good news is that the crossing isn’t going to be easy. The hoped for easterly winds that would blow us straight to Orkney in a couple of days haven’t materialised. However, time is ticking by and the crew are getting more and more frustrated with being on land. 'It’s definitely time to leave. I hope everyone can still remember which ropes to pull' remarks Dylan. Louise agrees: 'I’ve been feeling a bit of tension among the crew members.' So Carsten has decided to set sail with less than ideal winds, which means taking a longer course and relying on the wind changing whilst we’re out in the North Sea. It’s a calculated gamble – the sort of difficult decision a skipper has to make.
Food for the voyage
If the winds blow as predicted we’ll start by sailing south west towards England – a straight course due west would be impossible. Then a low pressure system is predicted to arrive over England for the weekend which would pull us north to arrive in Orkney around Sunday. That will mean at least 4 days at sea. Louise knows that’s going to be a challenge 'It’s the longest stretch we’ve ever tried at sea on board the Sea Stallion'. Erik is also concerned about the length of time the crossing will take. 'Duration is the problem – it’s hard work and it’s hard to get sleep. The longer you prolong the process the tougher it gets: the lack of sleep, the lack of food, the sea-sickness.' But that doesn’t dampen his enthusiasm for the journey ahead. 'It’s exciting. This is why we’re all here – to try it and see what it’s like. This is going to be one of the highlights of the trip.'
All afternoon the quayside has been buzzing with activity. The mast has been raised and provisions loaded. The rain has held off just long enough to dry the survival suits. The mood is largely jubilant – though in a subdued way. Everyone knows this will be the last chance for a proper nights sleep for a while and despite the excitement there aren’t going to be any late-night parties this evening.
The crew are desperate to set off
For me it’s a relief to finally be on our way again – there are only so many times you can film people sitting around tying knots! The excitement is tinged with one concern – the possibility of sea sickness. I suffered a fair bit on the first rough day and the chances are that this section is going to be rougher. The problem is that looking at a camera viewfinder or a computer screen are just about about the worst things you can do for sea-sickness. I’ve got every pill my local pharmacy could provide – I’ll find out soon whether they work.
LATEST: 0900 12/7/07 - The hoped for wind haven't arrived and so we're unable to set off this morning as planned. The crew is on standby in case the winds change. Check the Viking Ship Message Board for the latest, or to ask us any questions.
