12:58N 68:45W

World ARC Day 5 -13th Jan – A Hitch-hikers guide

We had our first visitor today of the trip.
A hitch hiker - A Booby.
He came calling just after sunset, flapping along after the stern, to finally land on our bimini on the edge of a solar panel.
He's obviously recharging his batteries, bright spark. Hope he's house trained, or else!

Quite a large open water seabird; they frequently use Nina as a beater. She flushes out the flying fish as she powers through the ocean, the flying fish then lifting and skimming across the waves, changing direction as they bounce and fly on for considerable distances.
There are shoals of them, larger individual ones, or whole schools of babies.
The Boobies wait until they have completed their flight, finally dropping back into the water, to be scooped up as they land exhausted. Previously, across the Atlantic, we had many flying fish, mostly overnight, throwing themselves onto Nina's decks. One even soared over the spray hood, and made its way flapping and banging into the cockpit locker. So far this time, they have resisted this urge.
Perhaps the Caribbean Sea ones are smarter?

Question, what is the collective noun for flying fish? Is it a school or shoal when swimming, only to become a flight? squadron? flock?
Amazing the discussions on Nina when there is no Google to confirm or educate...
The boobies don't care, they think they are a feast. (or a snack, or a luncheon, or a munch?)

Night Watches
We are once again using the talking watches.
Fantastically useful on the night watches, as they tell the time (literally).
It saves peering into luminous dials, putting on lights, reading glasses etc. just push a button on the side, and an everso slightly American lady informs you of the time.
Brilliant. Thank you Anthony Cooke, - my Dad.
All our love, you are an inspiration for the trip, and always in our thoughts.