42’28.4S 048’18.5W course 220′ speed 6,2 kn
I just don’t know where to start, this day has just been amazing. Sadly we lost the wind last night after 03:00, but other then that, the day was filled with special moments!!
It started off with the light already lighting up the horizon at 04:00, we are now on UTC-3 and as we head South the days become longer and longer. Just before sunrise this morning we spotted a Wandering Albatross, first just one, then moments later a second one showed up! We watched them soar through the air with the light breeze that was just enough to carry them and were silenced by their majestic looks. Then just a little later, we spotted spouts on the horizon and headed for them. We slowed down to a drift and could get a good look at the whales that we spotted. We guessed we spotted Sei Whales, they were bigger then the normal Minke whale and seemed smaller then fin whales. We could not distinguish any white markings on their right jaw and so our best guess was Sei Whale.
We got surrounded by the whales every now and then during the morning and around 10:00 we turned off the engine for a while as we drifted with them. But they were more interested in each other then us, so we moved along as well. It was wash day today and so laundry was hanging around drying in the small breeze and sunshine.
But 10:00 oclock takes us past another amazing Sunday event and that was Pancakes for breakfast at 08:00! Soete even got up to help Jasmijn out making American Banana Pancakes! What a treat!!! We had left over pancakes for lunch as well, very nice straight from the toaster!
During the afternoon everything went quiet. The water that had been alive with animals (white chinned petrels, prions, albatrosses, wilsons petrels and whales) it was all of a sudden completely empty. The sun was nice and warm and so our shorts were out again! I tried knitting a jumper I have long bespoken for someone, but made a mistake in the pattern and had to take it all out again. Floris, Soete and Jasmijn made a cake for desert (wow!!! Chocolate cake with sour cream and nuts and chocolate mouse on top!!!) AND they set up the Christmas tree!
Downstairs, the saloon is becoming more and more cosy. The Christmas tree is in the coffee corner and the small reading nook is now engulfed in Christmas decorations. Although today was very warm again, the cold is starting to set in. At night we are all in double or triple layers and so the “Vibe” is becoming more and more Christmassy, if that were a word, it would be that..
Then at 18:00, we turned off the engine and drifted with forestay sail keeping us going downwind, and had our Sunday beer. We had some snacks out, Joel, Daniel and Moritz had their cigar and the music helped set the mood. Most of us have lost their Spotify music by now, but Spotify has a new feature. They make you a list, that is downloaded to your phone (nobody knew this had been done.. but thats another story) with random music, that is close to what you normally listen to and offer it to you offline for longer then 30 days… because that is what happens to all of us.. after 30 days, Spotify says you have to go back online to access your music library..
So we listened to some of these random play lists and found out, they are pretty good! Dinner was a roast beef, mash potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Proper Sunday Vibes!
After dinner we waited for a beautiful sunset, with very relaxing music.. but then clouds got in the way and we started the engine to get going again! WHAT A DAY!!!
All is well on board,
Jet
