33:40.577N 53:53.384W alle 20:00 (22:00 UTC) del 21 maggio 2023.
Another perfect sailing day is given to us by this benevolent ocean. While it is true that the nights are still humid and cold, the days are in perfect contrast to that. The boat is cleaned, music is played and the boat's library is once again searched.
This time, Eric Tabarly teaches us how to (not) reef a sail, and some attempt is made at understanding astronomical navigation.
The wildlife observation today has been limited to spotting the "Portuguese men o' war". These small jellyfish-like creatures are composed of a balloon-like body, an empanada-like sail, and some tentacle-like tentacles. A popular belief on board is that these tentacles can measure up to 30 meters. I personally doubt it strongly and think that these unrealistic tentacle standards are hurtful towards most Portuguese men o' war...
Regardless of the size of their tentacles, they are found in great number around us, and capsize dramatically when lightly touched by the wave made by the boat. Anonymous sources on board confirmed taking pleasure from this form of soft animal cruelty. They are transparent but have pink and purple reflections on their undersides, and their (huge) tentacles seem to be dark purple.
A lot is still unknown to us about their lives: How fast do they sail? Are we to find more of them as we get closer to Portugal? How do they bring the fish they catch back up from the depth of their (massive) tentacles?
The boat's library is cruelly scarce when it comes to these important questions.