Day 9 - Passage to the Caribbean
Misterx
Wed 9 Apr 2025 22:32
09/04/25
8:30 pm
Day 9
South Atlantic Ocean
DTD : 2,733 NM (126NM)
Birds Gazette News
We had to conduct 3 burials at seas today...
We had the usual flurry of squawking during the night, a full complement of 6 birds, 4 on the Bimini and 2 on the boom, by eviction time by 6am this morning, only 2 remained, one settled again on the boom and the other on the edge of the Bimini. Went through my little exercise routine with 2 black beady eyes watching my every movement, which was a little weird. By coffee time, all our feathered friends have flown off ... or so we thought... Ian gets up, has breakfast and we start cleaning after the birds. There is poo everywhere, and as we are cleaning the side deck, wedged by the Jerry can, we found the lifeless body of one of them... it doesn't seem to be injured, and we didn't find any blood... guess it just died of old age. Before Ian got into his scrubs and started the autopsy, I throw him some gloves and some newspapers and make it clear that we need to send him to his watery grave. In lieu of a prayer, Ian raising to the occasion, uttered these few words:
"this tern, which roosted here not half an hour ago,
- Yes, what is it?
- I tell you what it is ... it's dead
- na, na, it's resting!
- resting? it's crumpled up like a bit of origami!
- yes, but beautiful plumage
- the plume don't enter into it. It's dead! Gone to meet its maker, shuffled off its mortal coil, pushing up the daisies!!"
And with this Monty Python eulogy, the bird was sent back to the indigo sea for his slice of eternity.
It was a bit sad, but we got over it and as evening drew in, we got ready with the tarpaulin on the bimini, ready for the flock, minus one, to turn up. Didn't hear any of them but as I got up for my 8pm shift, asking about how many birds are on residence, as it is now part of our hand over routine... the answer is completely unexpected,
- there are 2 on the bimini that i could see earlier but i think they are dead
- what do you mean dead? both of them?
- think so...
- well we'd better figure it out before you go to bed, you're not leaving me with 2 dead bodies on board for my watch!
Got the tickling stick and started prodding in the dark, no movement, the birds did not fly off... it would seem that Ian is right, both of them are dead... This is a little weird and at this time of the day, we are in no mood to conduct another 2 burials at seas with all the trimmings, so unceremoniously, these 2 bodies were pushed from the bimini into the sea with the tickling stick... one went without further ado, unfortunately the second body landed on the side deck, much to our distress. Got the gloves and the newspaper again, and Ian delivered the body to the sea.
Hopefully we'll not have to perform these last rites again tomorrow. 3 birds dead in a few hours, a bit of a coincidence and it is somehow unsettling, not sure what to make of it really!
On other news, and whilst we are on the subject of wildlife, I spotted a pod of 5 orcas this morning... they were quite far away, but there is no mistaking the dorsal fin and the water spout of their breathing... think i saw 5 of them.
Steady winds, in the right direction are still with us. Enjoying the ride, despite the bereavement! just wished we didn't have so many funerals!
M