Mischief - Log Day 2: Ducks and Killer Whales

20 November 2017 Monday 0825 position 26 deg 42' N 016 deg 42'W.
Beautiful day! Saw a duck for the first time since Gran Canaria; not sure what sort of a duck it was but it looked like a duck so it must have been a duck. Neal has also just spotted an Albatross: goose-winged on starboard tack.

At 0830 we gybed onto starboard and set the genoa out on the spinnaker pole. Very comfortable on course 250 deg. Dave got a position report from Rally Control which was very confusing as everyone had been given the same position until we realised the positions were for 1204 on 19th - we hadn't started! Oh dear.....

The wind is due to go light in our wind area AA/BB as a low pressure zone tracks through to the north. We presently have a nice NE 13 knts but dropping. The boat feels sluggish with only 4 knts boat speed as we are very heavy with all the fuel, water and provisions on board, not to mention The Treacle Miners' private stash of Haribo - probably half a ton at best estimate.

No-one had much sleep last night as we get used to being at sea again but the sea state is such that the boat is rocking all over the place making sleep difficult at best. We have been hitting 10 knots plus then rolling - exciting stuff. However, Wendy is suffering a little from sea sickness and from her dodgey back but Neil has a supply of super strong pain killers that would floor an Elephant which he acquired in the Azores back in 2014 when he had similar issues....watch this space.

1100 set the spinnaker again which went really well at first making a huge speed difference then the wind started to move South progressively. Typically it was just as we were serving lunch that Dave ordered the drop as we were heading towards the North Pole to keep the spinnaker flying. Neal and I sprung into action like a well oiled spring and had the beast on the deck in no time at all, stowed away, boat gybed, code 0 set and back to lunch in the shake of a whale's tail. The power of a hungry crew. The boat was powered up nicely and headed in the right direction on 255.

The sun was out and the sky was blue, lovely sailing. Wendy suddenly spotted a pod of what looked like dolphins and therefore according to my theory re ducks, they must have been dolphins, but on this occasion they were not. They were far too big; we thought they may be Pilot Whales but on later examination of the Skippers' identification book decided on the absolute fact that these had been Pygmy Killer Whales indeed. Never have I seen one of these before and now I've seen ten! So I got the camera out and proceeded to take a dozen splendid photos of the sea - not a whale to be seen in any of them. The trouble is whenever I looked in the viewfinder they submerged and whenever I lowered the camera to find them again they resurfaced. I really don't know how David Attenborough does it - he must be a very patient man!

Early evening and we are cruising along at 6 knts with a lovely sunset having had chilli con carni for tea, but the wind is dropping as predicted although much later in the day so much of the fantastic sailing this afternoon has been a bonus. We were treated to a lovely new crescent moon low in the sky to the west and the stars are out in abundance. However by 2100 the wind dropped slowly and surely followed by our boat speed but at least we are heading in the right direction on 247 (ish!). We are in for a light few hours methinks.

Hi Ho!

Charlie