Prayer journey for Aliyah – Part 6
In the port of Finisterre, we come to a market stall selling jewellery and earrings. We are encouraged when we see the sign ”Joyería Ebenezer”. It turns out the stall belongs to a Protestant family from Santiago. They have chosen the name Ebenezer as it means ”rock of help” and which the prophet Samuel raised after the victory against the Philistines and said: ”Thus far the Lord has helped us” (1 Sam 7:12).
Finisterre, Spain, at dusk
In some ports we anchor a little way out because Elida’s four-meter draught is too deep for the marina. When it’s time to pull up the anchor, many of us have to pull the line – everything is done by hand and it can be heavy.
We continue southwards along the west coast of Spain and Portugal. We see dolphins, sometimes a few but often in bigger groups. Effortlessly they swim in front of and under the boat, come to the surface, make a jump and swim on. I try to take some photos and film, but the boat is moving and the dolphins suddenly appear somewhere when I’m not expecting. And I don’t want to lose my phone in the sea.
Dolphins swimming next to the boat
The wind is good and we decide to hoist Elida’s largest sail, the gennaker, which has an area of 650 square meters. It’s nice to sail with it, along with the big Atlantic swells lifting the boat up and down. After many hours of sailing, the wind picks up and we have to take the gennaker down. It becomes dramatic, a line breaks, the long ”sock” cover that is to be threaded over the sail partially breaks and we have to drop the sail into the sea. One of the crew members jumps into the sea to try to ensure that the sail doesn’t go under the boat. The waves are quite high, and we throw out a couple of lifebuoys. He grabs one of them, and we can pull him onboard. Then we all have to help pull up the sail and put it on deck to dry. We take a breather and can relax, no one is hurt and everything has gone relatively well.
Philip Holmberg
Ebenezer Operation Exodus
If you want to continue reading, you can go directly to Part 7 here: Part 7
Or if this was the first one you read and want to get to the beginning, click here: Part 1
A few extra pictures for Part 6
The Market stall sign ‘Joyería Ebenezer’
Captain Stefan and Robert
Alice and Noah from the full-time crew
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