Midnight we had made it as far as 15:52.59N 50:01.25W – Wednesday 17th of December, 2008.

Engine Time – 4.25 Hours

During the night I saw a light in the distance and got so excited I called the boat up, I said sail boat in vicinity xxx.xxx this is the sail boat to your starboard side do you copy? The reply I got was ‘we are a 300,000 tone tanker’. I said Oh, and then the captain came on, he was a British man and we chatted for some time. As you do I asked him for the weather and told him our plans for Christmas, he politely said good luck mate, but I think you will be bobbing up and down out here some where Christmas day, you see there is a high for the next week and you will not be going anywhere. Well I sort of did not like him much after he said that and sulked for a while.

Next it started to rain once again, it has actually rained quite a lot, and this night was no exception it just rained and rained. Thankfully there was not lightening this time but it was very heavy. Fiona reached for her wet weather gear but I have still not put on much more than my underpants.  It is very warm and humid and each day it rains we are thankful, not to mention when the sky is over cast we are just as happy to stop the sun from burning you to bits.

I rose bright and early almost too early because I felt it was time to turn our clocks back once again. I was doing my morning routine when I spotted another whale off the starboard quarter; it was almost identical to the one I had seen 2 or 3 days earlier and I would not be surprised if it was the same whale. I would not be surprised if it had been following our track. Well, I did not tell Fiona I had seen it as she was still trying to open her eyes and the last thing I needed was a grumpy crew member instructing me to motor off in the opposite direction.

It was another day of little wind and a sky that you would swear was from another planet. This meant we were once again motoring as and when absolutely necessary. I had to top up the diesel tank today, I emptied 50Lts into it and I prayed, that is it. I now have 40Ltrs remaining on deck in Jerry’s and about half a tank. When I motor at about 1600-1800 RMP I use very little fuel about 1.5 liters at the most in an hour, this is all well and good to get me through calms but I can only handle a couple more before I will be conserving the rest for emergency and be forced to bob around with own whale friend.

Special comments by Fiona:  The weather patterns have been amazing.  We’ve experienced so many different varieties.  Often, you can see in the distance dark, heavy clouds indicating a huge downpour is on the way.  It will rain for 10 minutes and then the sun burns through the clouds and the decks are dry within minutes.  I often find I’m mesmerized by the unusual cloud formations.    

Day 148

Traveling Direction – West

Wind Direction – South East – Light

Swell – Moderate

Average Speed – 4.5

Top Speed –? Speedo log is no longer with us. Ten years of service and what a way to go out.

Distance Covered – 108.5 Nautical Miles