The Whale Not Seen

March 24, 2019

Day 171

Noon Position: 52 38S  59 41W

Course(t)/Speed(kts): ExN 7

Wind(t/tws): N 18 – 21

Sea(t/ft): N 4

Sky: Altostratus

10ths Cloud Cover: 10

Bar(mb): 1022+, steady

Cabin Temp(f): 50

Water Temp(f): 45

Relative Humidity(%): 70

Sail: One reef in working jib and main, close reach to port

Noon-to-Noon Miles Made Good (nm): 73

Miles since departure: 23,315

Avg. Miles/Day: 136

Leg North Days: 4

Leg North Miles: 366

Avg. Miles/Day: 91

Another desperately slow day. Overnight, wind remained in the 6 – 10 knot range and backed slowly into the north. I let it gently ease Mo first into the north and then east and until the wind direction gave us a nice purchase on a tack. That was 3AM.

Soon after, the sun came up. This was the real beauty spot of the day, but it also indicated I’ve been slow to change ship’s clock recently.

We slid east and out from under the Falklands by early afternoon. By now winds are 20-25, and as I type we’re down to double reefs. The ride is uncomfortable, but our speeds are 7 and 8 knots. All of us aboard are willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort for that!

—

We sailed over the shallows below the Falklands, the rise between Sea Lion Islands to the north and Beauchene to the south. Most of the day I’ve seen whale spouts in the distance whenever I look up. One spouted within three boat lengths. I got the camera out, but he was already gone.

The real zinger came when I happened to glace to windward and saw the boiling water left from a whale’s fluke thrust, then I saw another, and another. Connecting them led directly to Mo. There was one right off windward bow. I braced for impact. Then, in a moment, a boil of water appeared to leeward, then another and another tracing a line away. The whale swam directly under us.

Later in the day, a cormorant. Haven’t seen a cormorant since San Francisco. Then dolphins, Southern White Sided, I think.

Now we are back in deep water and are alone.