To Vigo with a pod of dolphin for company
The adventures of Chili III
Peter & Belinda Vernon
Thu 14 Oct 2021 18:28
I'm writing this entry on our way across Biscay to Vigo.
We arrived at Milford Haven at 0600 Monday morning and enjoyed the motor up the sound at dawn. It is an incredble naturual harbour and dominated by the refinery and huge berths for oil and gas tankers. We were given a warm welcome by the harbour master on duty who waved us through the lock onto a comfortable marina berth for 24 hours. A flurry of provisioning, laundry and jobs as well as welcoming Koo off the train - our crew for the next leg. It was so good to see him with his backpack and dangling sleeping bag wandering down the pontoon.
After dinner on board and a welcome sleep, we refueled and set off for Vigo (625 NM). Favourable winds all day Wednesday with NW4. Full main, Code S (big blue and yellow sail for light airs) 6.5KN and sunshine. After a few hours we were joined by a pod of common atlantic dolphin. At times there must have been 50. Amaziningly they stayed with us for 24 hours playing in the wake, jostling each other. They are beautiful creatures. Lucky for us Koo did his masters zoology disertation on cetations and specifically dolphin sounds and language - he is wondefully knowlegable and we spent hours watching then and firing questions at Koo. At night they were illuminated with bio-phosforecence; emerald green lightning fast streaks leaving trails in their wake as they hunted fish. An unfortgettable sight. One brief sighting of a fin whale.
Koo, loved the idea that as we slept this pod of Dolphin would be surrounding the boat swimming alongside us - a marine chariot pulled by these lovely inteligent creatures.
For the last 24 hours we've had winds of SE 4-5 so close hawled and pounding into growing waves. Quite an uncomfortable night when we were down to 3 reefs in the main. However good boat speed and direction and more or less on track for a Saturday daytime arrival in Vigo.
Time to put the cottage pie in the oven and have a Brewdog alcohol free larger!
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Sailing Yacht Chili III