Tuesday 16 June 38:43N 34:07W
Adventuress
Richard Coles
Tue 16 Jun 2009 21:47
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Tuesday 16 June
Midday Position
A fabulous morning and calm seas all night, Mark
and Richard up early and have hosed down the deck and have everything up drying
in the sun and have woken me up Paul and I sat up late watching a movie last
nite for a change (thank goodness for computers). A clear, cloudless sky and
warm weather GREAT. Everything up and out and drying. Richard has finished doing
the chain locker, the heads, cleaning the floors in his cabin and heaps of
other small jobs he has on his list. I decided to make the boys a surprise for
morning tea and produced a chocolate cake just out of the oven, as we all know
it was received wonderfully. Feeling in the mood as such a calm day, and seeing
as we have finally finished our last loaf of bread, made a loaf of bread as
well, turned out good and well received again with left over stew for lunch.
Only 245 miles to go now till we reach the Azores should be there Thursday
morning some time according to all the analysizing type programmes Richard has
on his computer. Still hoping for some fish on Mark's line, but not much
happening really. We will be near the Continental Shelf tomorrow so that may be
of some help. Paul saw a huge cargo ship in the early hours and they called him
up as a yacht overdue so checking so see if its us. Winds easing off now and
only 5-13knots but a great sailing day. And back on with the shorts and t-shirts
again!!! Everyone scratching about for more reading material as we have all
devoured a great many books on this wonderful trip pleased I brought at least 30
books which Richard is now devouring. I have enjoyed learning all about the
weather charts we receive every few days and it seems even though the charts say
one thing, we are can be experiencing something else.
While enjoying a good book sitting soaking up the
great sun this afternoon I spotted a container ship on the horizon, Paul on
watch at the time and low and behold it was coming straight at us, not so
unusual really but we called him up to no avail, so turned to Port and avoided a
collision with the 'Baltic Trader' no doubt they never even saw us in their
path, what a worry during the day as well, one can certainly see how you can be
hit by one of those great big hulks and they just keep on going too. Scary
thoughts!!
Lovely sitting out for Happy Hour on the stern in
our 'Ahab's Lounge' in the sun tonight, having olives, cheese & crackers,
salsa and chips (we are hard done by!!) having a rum when a group of dolphins
joined us again, they were beautiful bigger than the others we have seen and
very much like the Common Dolphin we have back in NZ, there was a huge pod off
the stern feeding no doubt so some of them decided to swim over and entertain us
again. Also while sitting enjoying our rum, we suddenly saw a whale 'blow'
just to our starboard side and sure enough it was Minke whale a huge one headed
right for us,no doubt heard our engine and did a turn around our stern,
just as well as it was big, lovely to see it. We have been treated to a
fantastic amount of sea life this crossing I will never forget some of those
magic moments to offset the not so good ones. Cooler tonite and on with the jackets etc to enjoy dinner and await
everyones watch.
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