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Hey, hi, hello there, folks! Today was a mighty fun day, mostly because the energy and excitement were building, and making the final preparations for our Atlantic crossing. The crew completed a mega boat appreciation, cleaning every little nook and cranny of Vela, involving rust stain removing, polishing, and a lot of organizing down below. The freezer and fridge, having just been defrosted, were cleaned to prep for the final provisions – my task for the day. To purchase said provisions, I searched the area for the largest “hyper” market (imagine a Walmart Supercenter on steroids), where I would hopefully find everything in one place. This Carrefour had it all – groceries, clothing, entertainment, mattresses…I was very tempted to pick up this giant bear for the salon…If you’ve ever wondered how we manage to purchase enough food for 33 people for a ~20-day crossing, here are a few considerations to give you an insight: How much meat/pasta/eggs do we consume each meal; How long can we make fresh fruit and veg last? How many cans of fruit and veg do we carry once the fresh stuff is gone? Will the fridge and freezer continue to work? How much extra food do we take in case it takes us longer than expected? Why does Europe not believe in canned chicken? And a very important last question: where the heck do we store it all??
Turns out, we eat a LOT. We’re crossing our fingers that our refrigeration works properly enough to keep our fresh stuff from spoiling. We bought excess dry beans and veg and rice and pasts and jarred hotdogs (because Europe truly carries zero canned chicken). We found new storage locations to take advantage of (“mystery overflow”). Did I find some fun new snacks for us? Heck yes. Did I drink too much coffee while shopping? Maybe. Did I look a little ridiculous carrying ten pool noodles (for the rig) out with my trolleys? Most definitely.
The evening was filled with fun as we went out for a last dinner and night onshore. Anticipation was building, nervous excitement was brewing, and new bonds were being formed. We’re switching up watch teams for crossing so everyone gets to know new people and creates new friendships. Excited to see what the passage brings!