Pom - A high-speed transatlantic crossing!

Who: Mapie & Domi, Estelle & Yvan, Gilles
Where: Atlantic Ocean
Multihull: Outremer 5X
Blog: www.levoyagedepom.com

 There is no longer any land on the horizon. There is only the sea as far as the eye can see. We are serenaded by the sound of the waves breaking on the hulls, the squeaking and clanking of the halyards, the creaking of the blocks, the lines and cables stretching... We set off to cross the Atlantic under sail. As we have the wind behind us, we have to tack to keep a course towards Saint-Martin. From time to time, we are visited by a pod of dolphins. It’s always magical to see them swimming around us. Tonight, they came close to the hull in small groups and then swam around Pom for a long time. Squatting at the front of the catamaran, we were so close to them that we could almost touch them. And then they left as they had come, disappearing into the depths of the ocean. On the fourth day, the wind picked up to 20 knots and Pom started to accelerate. We covered 236 miles in 24 hours. Today is Sunday, and the bets are on! We have to guess our arrival date. The winner will have the privilege of offering the first round of mojitos! The weather forecast confirms a good breeze which will allow us to stick to our objective of 250 daily miles. Our bodies are starting to get used to life on board. No more nausea, headaches and just wanting to sleep, which are the main signs of sea sickness. We have just done another 238-mile day. However, this transatlantic crossing is not always a smooth ride and sometimes we have to maneuver, like in the middle of this afternoon when a threatening squall arrived. We went under staysail. We even had to take in the second reef. This type of effort is incompatible with a hearty meal, and with 30 knots of wind, in heavy seas, the maneuver is double the work. We were exhausted by this «unwelcome» effort. One day follows another. 206 miles in 24 hours. «We are slowing down», says the captain. The reefs are shaken out, and we start sailing again at 12 knots. Saint-Martin is not far away. We will have crossed the Atlantic in 17 days and covered 3,280 miles.