Blowholes the size of dinner plates!
This afternoon the crew on board the
Tecla got a visit of 3 whales, huge whales! At first only spray was visible in
the distance, but as they got closer and closer, the crew got more and more
excited. They seemed to be playing around, two big ones and one smaller one.
They even started playing in front of the bow, like dolphins they were coming
up, laying on their side, showing us their white belly’s and then, just in time,
speeding up again to get away from our bow. The Tecla was doing about 6 knots at
that point and they really got into it. Swimming past us, coming up wild and
then waiting for us and diving down when we would reach them. It was amazing!
Spectacular! You could see their eyes, their blowholes – two of them big as
dinner plates, their mouths and fins, all in detail and only 5 to 10 meters
away!
Our other activities were of little significance next to that
experience!
We set of in the morning from our anchorage. Wind had eased
out, weather had improved big time! We left under sail and got on a close hauled
course as we left the Falkland Islands behind us. The islands soon disappeared
in their own clouds and with a bit of melancholy but also joy of new adventure
we lost it out of sight early in the afternoon.
We have sailed close
hauled all day. First with reefs in and this night we took the reefs out, set
the big jib and hoisted the topsail. The weather has been great so far, bit cold
still, but sunny and dry! And now the sun is rising, beautiful pink and orange
on a bright blue sky. We have passed the 50 degree south limit again, but no
party this time. AND no turning around any more. We head North from now on!
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