Atlantic Crossing on Merrimac

Crossing

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:41:16 +0100

Tomorrow morning we make landfall, Suriname in the first light, but my heart is still bobbing along on days made of nothing but water.

Water everywhere, and yet never the same: from whispering ripples to waves flexing their muscles, colours that shift like thoughts at the horizon.

1800 miles down, 150 to go

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:57:30 +0100

It’s already the 9th and last full day at sea. We expect, with a high degree of certainty, to reach the fairway buoy sometime tomorrow morning. After that it’s still a decent stretch up the river, but we’ll be there in plenty of time for a few Djogos with bitterballen.

Sinterklaas

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 15:12:32 +0100

Yesterday, out of the blue, I got a message from what I think was a female Sinterklaas helper …

🎁 A Sinterklaas Poem for the Men on the Boat 🎁

Dear sailors, gathered on this floating home, Sint greets you warmly, even far across the foam. One among you had never heard of Sint before— But with kruidnoten tasted, he’s part of the lore. Chocolate pepernoten sealed the deal just right, And so Sint brought a gift for him tonight.

The Big Crossing

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:38:00 +0100

It’s now Wednesday afternoon, 3 December, and we left Mindelo at around half past ten, bound for Suriname (Paramaribo). The distance is still 1853 miles as the crow flies, and we expect to arrive in about 10 days.

We spent a day being driven around the island of São Vicente with a driver and guide, and our main conclusion was that it is indeed bone dry. The fact that it then rained four times during the rest of the week was something even the locals couldn’t explain. It was the first time in years that it had rained outside the rainy season.