At last the wildlife has started to appear between waves,
and we have seen plenty of spotted dolphins, a whole air force of flying fish
and a few lonely petrels skimming between the crests. We are very pleased to report a second Mahi
Mahi, which was much bigger than the one we landed on Tuesday. However, it did manage to wriggle off the
hook before we welcomed it aboard (sounds like a typical fisherman’s tale?!).
With almost perfect conditions we were able to fly the
spinnaker for most of the day, with the epic effort of Pete and Will (AKA
foredeck monkeys), whose logic and knot tying skills were superb.
A few fellow boats have appeared from time to time, dipping
below the horizon. The Sao Jorge came
within less than a mile, but they were obviously enjoying their evening G&T
too much to hear our friendly call on CH16.
But easily the best part of the day was the superb dinner
that Will prepared for us. A perfect fillet steak with sweet potato fries. It is hard to believe just how good the food
has been on this voyage, and this meal could have easily been the chef’s
special at a good restaurant! Not a
single pasta dish has been prepared yet, and the stores of fresh fruit and veg
has been consistent. Sadly, the last
mango was eagerly swallowed at breakfast.
Now that the weather is warming and the trade winds are
being kind, we have shifted into a more relaxed watch system, which should
ensure that we all get a little more ‘me time’!
It is impossible to comprehend that it is Christmas in just
a month!!
By Richard