Atlantic Crossing - Day 12

The Talulah's Web Diary
Ali Pery / Shane Warriker
Thu 27 May 2010 16:33
33:47.280N 44:56.518W

On Tuesday 25th our day of calm turned into a dead calm … it is the
strangest feeling being mid Atlantic with zero wind and almost glass seas. 
And a welcome break for us all.  We spotted all sorts of floating objects,
from a 45 gallon drum, (which we circled twice to try hook one of the many
fish nibbling its barnacled bottom), old fishing buoys, and then a big brown
floating barrel which, as we drew closer, turned out to be a large hawksbill
turtle!  At first we thought he was dead, soon to realise he was sleeping,
snoring actually, and as we drifted toward each other, not a stir from the
sleeping beauty until he was an inch from our side.  A big wide-eyed glance
up, and then pop, flop, down below he disappeared.

Jon’s “allotment” is really taking off in the port hull …. As peanuts get
gorged, their bottles are filled with lentils and other pulses, and sprouts
are appearing daily (with a lot of TLC from our Jon) making scrumptious
salads.

We passed another sailing yacht yesterday pm, and a large ship this am.  The
lady radio operator invited us over for a cup of tea.  Ha ha! “I’m only
doing 20 knots” she said, “Come alongside!”  “No thanks” we replied (pushing
9 knots ourselves), “We’ve just put the kettle on…”

We were surrounded by hundreds of performing Atlantic dolphins first thing
this-morning – they were extremely acrobatic, dancing excitedly around
Talulah and her bows - it was magical to see them again – first show this
crossing!

The wind is now really kicking up… we’re on a broad reach, doing 7.5 knots
in 22 knots of wind. 

Gale force winds are forecast for the next few days – 30 knots plus – so we
are now busy reefing (reducing sails) and getting prepared for a bumpy ride
ahead….  Slowing the boat down and hoping the worst of it will pass ahead of
us.