At Sea
Last evening under a setting sun, we left the lee of Brava Island, the westernmost of the Leeward Islands in the Cape Verdes, and sailed on a heading of about 200 degrees toward the Brazilian coast. The wind and the sea were behind us giving us a comfortable ride. We were rocked gently to sleep.
Before reaching Brava Island we had visited Fogo and its spectacular volcano. After reboarding the Endeavour for a late lunch we headed south to explore reports of whales close to shore. The whales had gone elsewhere but the dolphins were in the calm waters in the lee of Fogo. Hundreds of spotted dolphins spread before us. Many were leaping entirely clear of the water, spinning and splashing back into the water. After watching this incredible sight for about 40 minutes, we launched a Zodiac with underwater cameras and set out to try to record the dolphins’ underwater actions. The dolphins appeared out of the clear blue water in wonderful gyrations that entranced us all when our video chronicler showed their antics at recap. We left hoping for more encounters with marine mammals.
Today, after spending long hours on the bridge scanning the sea, we were rewarded with a breaching Bryde’s whale. Leaping clear of the water we could see the pink underbelly as the whale turned in the air and fell on its back. It breached twice quickly and then maneuvered underwater close to the ship. At one point it passed close under the bow, its footprints clearly visible on the surface of the water.
Shortly after the excitement of the whale sighting subsided, a sail appeared on the horizon. We altered course slightly to pass to her lee. She was a 6.5-meter boat with a mainsail and a spinnaker. As we approached the officer on watch, Jurgens, called her on the radio. The lone sailor was a Frenchman in a single-handed race having left the Canaries nine days ago on his way to Salvador in Brazil. After we had passed the sailboat, her captain called to see if anyone aboard the Endeavour had taken pictures of her under full sail. Our video chronicler had and we promised to send a picture to his parents by email.
Sailing across the ocean as in the past is full of surprises.
Last evening under a setting sun, we left the lee of Brava Island, the westernmost of the Leeward Islands in the Cape Verdes, and sailed on a heading of about 200 degrees toward the Brazilian coast. The wind and the sea were behind us giving us a comfortable ride. We were rocked gently to sleep.
Before reaching Brava Island we had visited Fogo and its spectacular volcano. After reboarding the Endeavour for a late lunch we headed south to explore reports of whales close to shore. The whales had gone elsewhere but the dolphins were in the calm waters in the lee of Fogo. Hundreds of spotted dolphins spread before us. Many were leaping entirely clear of the water, spinning and splashing back into the water. After watching this incredible sight for about 40 minutes, we launched a Zodiac with underwater cameras and set out to try to record the dolphins’ underwater actions. The dolphins appeared out of the clear blue water in wonderful gyrations that entranced us all when our video chronicler showed their antics at recap. We left hoping for more encounters with marine mammals.
Today, after spending long hours on the bridge scanning the sea, we were rewarded with a breaching Bryde’s whale. Leaping clear of the water we could see the pink underbelly as the whale turned in the air and fell on its back. It breached twice quickly and then maneuvered underwater close to the ship. At one point it passed close under the bow, its footprints clearly visible on the surface of the water.
Shortly after the excitement of the whale sighting subsided, a sail appeared on the horizon. We altered course slightly to pass to her lee. She was a 6.5-meter boat with a mainsail and a spinnaker. As we approached the officer on watch, Jurgens, called her on the radio. The lone sailor was a Frenchman in a single-handed race having left the Canaries nine days ago on his way to Salvador in Brazil. After we had passed the sailboat, her captain called to see if anyone aboard the Endeavour had taken pictures of her under full sail. Our video chronicler had and we promised to send a picture to his parents by email.
Sailing across the ocean as in the past is full of surprises.
