I can't believe we are almost done with the first leg - it has been an experience so far!
The short race to, and stop over in Brest was a good introduction, but it is a distant memory now. This race - the 4500 sea miles so far - has been full of highlights and incredible experiences. The most memorable for me has been the encounters with wildlife: we've seen dolphins playing around the boat - different types. Before the doldrums they were smaller and stubby with yellow whitish bellies, and they moved extremely fast through the water. Sometimes two or more of them would swim together and change direction in an instant, as if they are in telepathic sync. They would jump and frolic around the bow and we were sure they were looking at us while showing off in perfect performance. The past couple of days - this side of the equator, they were slightly larger and grey bellies - doing back roles to our delight. The guys were making fun of me because I would get into a completely exhilarated state and forget everything around me in awe of these creatures.
The whales are also a sight to see: a couple of weeks ago a Minke whale followed us for miles and then swam gracefully around the bowsprit before she decided to find a new play friend. Yesterday we almost bumped into a huge mother and calf right next to the boat - I am sure she was around two thirds of the length of the boat. It could be quite a disaster if we do happen to crash into a large whale, so we are on constant lookout.
The short race to, and stop over in Brest was a good introduction, but it is a distant memory now. This race - the 4500 sea miles so far - has been full of highlights and incredible experiences. The most memorable for me has been the encounters with wildlife: we've seen dolphins playing around the boat - different types. Before the doldrums they were smaller and stubby with yellow whitish bellies, and they moved extremely fast through the water. Sometimes two or more of them would swim together and change direction in an instant, as if they are in telepathic sync. They would jump and frolic around the bow and we were sure they were looking at us while showing off in perfect performance. The past couple of days - this side of the equator, they were slightly larger and grey bellies - doing back roles to our delight. The guys were making fun of me because I would get into a completely exhilarated state and forget everything around me in awe of these creatures.
The whales are also a sight to see: a couple of weeks ago a Minke whale followed us for miles and then swam gracefully around the bowsprit before she decided to find a new play friend. Yesterday we almost bumped into a huge mother and calf right next to the boat - I am sure she was around two thirds of the length of the boat. It could be quite a disaster if we do happen to crash into a large whale, so we are on constant lookout.
Night time is an issue in terms of the whales, but we just hope they'll get out of our way. There are other wonderful sights at night: the phosphorescence in the wake of the boat amazes me every night. Sometimes big blobs of florescent green jelly fish go past like watery street lights guiding our journey. And then, in the full moonlight it is amazing to firstly hear their blow holes, but then to watch the dolphins swim around right below us.
We've had beautiful sea birds fly around the boat because fish get stirred up by the vessel and provide a welcome easy catch. A couple of exhausted and lost swallows landed on the boat but we found the one dead on the deck the next morning, and the other almost got trampled on while we were scurrying around in a squall.
We've even had a couple of butterflies in the middle of the ocean that probably got swept along with winds from the coast.
Apart from the wildlife highlights there are many others to share, like the beautiful fresh bread every day!!! More about this and other daily trivia of life on the boat when I chat again.
Please follow our race and the skipper and crew blogs through our website. I will be in more regular contact soon.
Love you all and miss you heaps!
Hugs and a big sailor's kiss
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