Sharks!

Vega
Hugh and Annie
Mon 13 Mar 2017 18:22
05:24.63N 82:02.30W

Well two anyway, cruising past our stern about 50m away. Two pointy fins (tail and dorsal), the usual olive green/brown colour, I would guess 2 - 3m overall length - the first sharks that we have seen since leaving England. There will definitely be no swimming off the the back of the boat.

I forgot to mention previously the school of Pantropical Spotted Dolphin we saw as we approached Las Perlas Islands. Hundreds of them which is typical of the species and very pretty. Things are looking up on the wildlife front.

Annie and Tom have been busy on the foredeck putting out and retrieving the pole, and launching and retrieving the cruising chute. The topping lift came away from the pole yesterday afternoon in quite a rolly sea so much fun was had in retrieving it without dunking the end of the pole in the sea. No drama out of a crisis on this occasion and the retrieval was very competently achieved.

It is really hot and sunny out here and after a record 150 mile run in 24 hours the wind is dying and we may have to drift or motor. The cruising chute is just about filling but looking hesitant. If the wind dies completely we have promised ourselves a day of polishing the metalwork (ha ha).

We have just been checked out by a light grey four propellor engine plane with a large radar dome on top that flew past very low. Presumably on coast watch.

And the excitement continues!! We have just been approached by a Panamanian fishing boat with four young guys on board asking for cold drinks and cigarettes. A bit of a surprise 150 miles from land and no-one saw it approaching. We sent across a black bin liner of the requested goods attached to a line from the fishing boat.

I am posting now before anything else happens!