WRITTEN BY EMMA FEGGETTER
ON LEG FOUR ANTIGUA TO ARUBA WITH RED ENSIGN GROUP
All 10 of us would agree that we have all faced our own personal challenges during our time at sea as we travelled from Antigua to Aruba. Offshore sailing makes you live in relatively adverse conditions, the constant movement, the infrequent showers, the constant sweating all add an additional element of challenge to everyday tasks such as cooking and cleaning. We all at some point or another entered our pain cave in different ways and for different reasons. For some this was exhaustion, others the heat, some the lack of personal space and the worst cave for most crew members was the one of seasickness.
It would be easy in this suffering for us all to retreat into our shells, become selfish and just look out for number one. Instead this group of 10 women, have kept their heads up and truly cared for one another.
Photo Credit: Emma Feggetter & eXXpedition
The small actions of: filling someone’s water bottle, a quick cuddle when someone is down, getting a fellow crewmate some plain crackers or rummaging through their personal belongings when they need something in their bag but just can’t face, the hot, sweaty moving cabin, have really made the difference.
Sometimes, it is just that smile that someone gives you as they are passing, the knowing look that they feel as you do or a gentle touch on the arm. For one team member, they were so severely seasick that they were not able to move from their bunk. Whenever we went to check on her she was still grateful and thanking us for the support we were offering to her.
The kindness has been instilled in us by Anna, Sophie and Maggie, the professional crew and Sally, the mission leader. They are key to this approach, leading by example in making breakfast for one another when they don’t want to get out of bed for their watch after only a short amount of sleep. Provisioning the boat with comforts from home (if you are from the UK) such as Rich Tea biscuits and the gentleness with which you are woken in the middle of the night when it is time to get up for watch.
Photo Credit: Emma Feggetter & eXXpedition
This has led to a general atmosphere of no stress, we are gloriously for the most part in areas with no phone signal or internet. The crew, instead of being distracted by phones and buzzes going off all the time are focused on living in the moment and enjoying everything around them, including interacting with each other.
Our sea sailing is over far too quickly and whilst some who have suffered will be glad to have their feet on dry land. A lot of us are sad to see the last sunset at sea and that our time together is nearly over.
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