Wash Day

28°16.7’S 075°29.7’W – Course 357°, Speed 7kn

As we’ve fully settled into our rhythm at sea, today marked our very first wash day. It might sound like an odd highlight for a logbook entry, but on board it’s a big deal. All day long, the scent of freshly washed clothes drifted across the deck as thermals, socks, and shirts swayed gently in the breeze—or danced along with the ship’s motion in the swell.

Clean socks for everyone. Life is good.

The weather has been steadily warming up. Although today was a bit of a setback—overcast and grey—yesterday gave us sunshine and even shorts! The seawater has warmed up as well, climbing from a chilly 12°C at the start to around 17–18°C now.

This afternoon, I gave a presentation about the major rebuild of the Tecla in 2021–2022, walking the crew through the renovation of our entire underwater body and interior. It’s good to occasionally pause and reflect on all the hard work poured into making the Tecla the strong, beautiful vessel she is today. The old photos—before the rebuild—are always a bit nostalgic to see, especially now that her interior feels so familiar and cozy. And the size of the gap in the hull is always a little shocking to see, especially for those who see it for the first time. We’re still incredibly proud of what we accomplished during that time.

Since the wind hasn’t picked up yet, we’ve used the calm weather to tackle some maintenance. A bit of whipping here, an oil change there, tidying up the aft cabin, and running standard equipment checks. Lisa, our first mate, is on a roll—I can barely keep up with her list of tasks! Picture of the day definitely goes to Matthias, who captured Lisa halfway up the mizzen gaff, putting in a whipping like a pro.

The atmosphere on board is relaxed and happy. A little breeze tomorrow would make things absolutely perfect.

All is well on board,

Jet