I just wanted to clarify a couple of misunderstandings that might have arisen during our brief encounter an hour ago...

I was taken by surprise when you popped round to us to say 'Hi' or to 'curiously investigate' the black, Orca shape that Freedom's hull must represent from your view.

Please don't take it personally that, upon hearing you breathe and then seeing you, 20cm away from the hull and the cockpit, I jumped up and screamed and immediately did what a lot of humans do when they are distressed: call mum!!

My crying and yelping really doesn't have anything to do with you, it was just...

You are quite big.

Not a lot smaller than my boat in fact and that makes you a lot bigger than me.

And well... You were very very close.

This 'weird fish' with a safari hat, jumping around and howling must have been a bit irritating for you, you swam under the boat and away.

Maybe you wanted to say something when you came back a couple of minutes later, looking at my hydrovane rudder and then straight into my eyes?

I think you got that I wasn't in the mood for a chat and left me to my mum, thousands of miles away from me, to sort me out.

Well, dear beautiful, majestic Orca,

I finally get that you wanted to congratulate me on 3 weeks on the Atlantic,

welcome me as I am sailing through your back garden

and just give a fins up!

Sorry I overreacted!

Now that we established that you and I both come in peace, please don't feel obliged to introduce me to your mates and family, I think I had enough socialising for today!

Yours sincerely,

Helena on Freedom