It’s very difficult to describe the beauty around us. The variety and colour range of sunsets is breathtaking at one end of the day, and sunrise suddenly seems to be with you to welcome the new day, doesn’t matter what day it is any more. Yesterday the sea was an incredibly clear aquamarine blue.
We are sailing quite fast which has a different effect on the locals. We have dolphins almost on a daily basis and yesterday a pod out hunting saw us and, all together, turned to come and play. Their grace and beauty at speed is breathtaking. When they jump out of the water, it’s as though they are competing to see who can fly the farthest. They cris-cross each other and us , using our bow wave and other waves to help them to accelerate. Flying fish are probably trying to avoid them, and also might see us as a massive predator as we often set them in flight. Initially it would make you jump when hit in the back by one. Now we just quickly throw them back in their way. Some of the other boats are catching them and want to eat them. We have had an aerial companion for the last two days who is happily wheeling around us and harvesting the flying fish as we set them flying.
We’ve had the occasional whale sighting, generally just when they blow, but Toni identified an orca yesterday, though I only saw it’s fin, and two sea turtles wallowed by on a course to wherever. Small land-based birds have stopped and rested for a while and other seabirds skim the waves endlessly seeking food.
P.S.
21st Sept. we are very near the Uruguayan coast with lots of fluorescence in the water, and making 11 knots on a fine reach. I suddenly notice a number of strange streaks in the water, amongst the whitecaps. 5 dolphins have dashed over to play, racing alongside us and competing amongst themselves to lead. They stayed for about 5 minutes, dropping of one by one until just one remained to claim victory over it’s peers.