A surprise visitor
The deck is littered with tool boxes, the pontoon is covered with coils of role and the mattresses have been taken outside to air. All evidence of another busy day for the crew of Oceans of Hope as they continue preparations in Cascais Marina, Portugal for their imminent transatlantic crossing.
MS crew member Tessa reeled off the long list of jobs still left to do yesterday in her blog, “the engine needs to be fully checked; new sails are waiting on the dock; a new toilet has to be installed; ventilation will be hung on the ship; and, lots and lots more.”
This means that even though they are not at sea it was still all hands on deck at 0900 yesterday morning.
Tessa reports that team work was vital when she and Anne were given the job of checking and measuring the ropes, “My mathematics suck but such clever thinking stuff is Anne's speciality. I'm better at running around and carrying the heavy ropes. So we make a good team. Anne sits at the beginning of our 20 meter measuring line while I unfurl all the ropes, carry them 20 meter down and back to Anne again. She writes down the description and condition of the ropes. While I just do the physical work. And I like it.”
She added that it felt good to stretch her legs on dry land after so many weeks on board the boat.
Later yesterday evening the crew received a surprise visitor when new MS crew member Louisa Matias dropped by to say hello. Louisa is due to join Oceans of Hope in Portugal for the next leg of the global voyage, across the Atlantic to Boston, USA. However, when she saw online that the boat was berthed in Cascais Mariana just a few miles from her home she couldn’t wait any longer, so jumped in her car to drive and meet them.
Tessa points out that Louisa will be, “the only crew member from another country in a fully Danish crew” but quickly adds that, “she will fit in perfectly, being so friendly, funny outgoing and curious.”
Louis said that she was really excited to be joining the ship and particularly looking forward to, “feeling the ship and its adventure - to feel the connection with the crew and sea.” She also told Tessa that the project had made her look again at her abilities, instead of focussing on the things she cannot do anymore because of MS.
Luisa Matias was interviewed about joining Oceans of Hope on Portuguese breakfast TV this morning.