47:08.9N 9:45.1W
As I
write, I’m surrounded by dolphins. I’ve been watching them for over an hour now.
I’m no expert but I believe them to be small Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins, about
20 or so. I don’t know much about them but I do know that they obviously are
having fun. They dive about the boat, under the keel, around the skeg and the
bow, then jump out of the water, usually 3 or 4 at a time - clean out - and then
squeak, presumably for joy. They are lovely to watch.
I
wish Alex was here to see them, it’s made my day and seeing dolphins always
does. The wind has backed to west, this means we are beating hard to windward
now, any sailor’s least favourite point of sail. The sails are sheeted in hard,
There is a reef in the main and my boat is heeled over about 35-45 degrees and
we meet the waves at a similar angle, jarring the yacht and throwing her bows
about. So maybe it is best Alex isn’t here, she is famous for her hatred of
beating. We are still making 5.0 knots though, although our VMG (speed to
destination) is suffering as we are now 30 degrees off course.
I’ve
been a bit restless today, and now that we have taken a hit on the groundspeed
I’m annoyed, but all the weather data I have says that this westerly flow will
go northerly again by tomorrow, I hope. I now thing that to go further west like
some of the fleet have done would have been good strategy.
It
was, however, lovely to speak to Alex on the Satphone, although we spoke for 17
minutes, so that is around £50, sweetheart! Sorry. I think email is best, even
though you may have to go without my dulcet tones for a while...
Right, I’m off outside to trim the sails, say hello to the dolphins
and try to squeeze some more speed out of the old girl.
Bye
for now!
