Goodbye St. Helena
Rhumbrunner
Thu 26 Jan 2017 16:22
The light glow from St Helena's Jamestown is just disappearing over the black horizon. We dropped our mooring at 1540 this afternoon and have sailed off with the wind behind again. 700 odd miles to Ascension. Light winds as predicted, F4 from SE. Jib out on port pole and mizzen out fully too, to port.
Johnny (Enchanted Isle Ltd) took us out to swim with whale shark this morning. Low expectations had been set by a week of few sightings. We swam with 5, all cruising a seam of rich food right off Jamestown. They were amazing to see from above the water, alongside the boat, but breathtaking from underwater. They would swing up and down this seem, cruising through the 10 or so snorkelers. If we were in their path, they would continue toward you, mouth wide, and change course 2m from you, nerve-racking game of whale shark chicken. We didn't have an underwater camera, but to get photos from the others in time. They are endangered, St Helena, as a community, is helping with their conservation and further understanding; we still don't know much about their mating or mating grounds, St Helena is suspected; its that sort of place.
Last night we ate at Anne's in Jamestown. They served a buffet meal and offered the leftovers to takeaway, which we made good use of. My cook tonight with the sunset watch. We had leftover St Helena special fishcakes, which taste unremarkably similar to gastro fishcakes at home. A tasty free meal onboard tonight though. They say regret nothing, but I left behind a near complete creme caramel.
Onward, north, toward to the black horizon.
Current Position 23/1/17 20.25GMT 15:33.9S 006:06.4W
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