Day 21

38:04.000n
46:58.170w Distance to home:
2150 miles Distance run
today: 125 miles Course
070 We are now sailing
through “Dolphin Soup”. Every time
we look round there are more to see. Domestic
We are just about the
farthest point from land on the whole trip at the moment as we are roughly 900
miles from Bermuda and 900 miles to the Azores, the closest point currently is
Cape Race on the Southern tip of Newfoundland which is only 600 miles
away. The scream from the
cockpit this morning told the crew that Wills had decided that now is the time
for his freshwater shower. The fresh rain water might have had a day or so to
warm up in the cockpit but that isn’t the case for the couple of buckets of the
We are only 150 miles
south of the June / July ice limits to which icebergs will drift from
Jez and Tim have decided
to miss these pleasures for now but certain standards must be maintained so Jez
has shaved in a bucket using salt water and fairy liquid. Wills has opted for the
bearded look which amuses the rest of us because a beard is hard to live with in
salt water. It gets wet and as it
dries the salt crystallizes and tries to pull the hairs out, one by one. If Wills gives up and shaves then he is
going to have the silliest sun tan in Christendom. Jez made bread this
morning which is always a lottery.
He still has 3 weeks to get it right but today’s was at least
edible. Electronics are king for
this part of the passage. We have 2
iPads plus various phones and iPod’s scattered across the boat with movies,
podcasts and games attached. Tim
has started a campaign to get top score on freecell whilst Will is concentrating
on Spiderette. Jez is a luddite and
hasn’t really got beyond listening to podcasts to date (although he has
discovered Major Mahem on his phone so he may yet be able to challenge his kids
on this by the time he is home). Sailing
On a close reach and
heading for home, or for the North of Scotland at least, which is close enough
whilst we are this far out. We are
used to living on Port tack at 20 degrees of heel and will get the chance to aim
for the Western Approaches later. Two yachts passed in the
night, we watched them pass but they had no AIS so we could not identify them
and as it was the dead of night we did not try to talk by
vhf. Natural
History Dolphins now joining us
regularly in groups of 30 plus.
Where have they been for the last 3 weeks? The crew is now
frustrated as the chances of our catching supper whilst being circled by hungry
packs of fish eating marine wolves is probably slim. Today’s visitors are a
new type and not the Spotted variety.
These are a solid, dark grey on the top with a clear line mid-way down
the flank where they become light grey.
Undersides are pale. Dave S
– ideas ? Now looking for whales
! Today’s responses Sandie – it’s not here
! I didn’t hold it so think it is
with Sam if no longer with you. Grandma Ketch – Wow I
didn’t know that! How interesting! He sounded like a really sound chap on the
podcast and has led such an interesting career! Love to all xxxx
Barry – Thanks for the F1
results, what a shame but its still early doors in the season really… how are
Alonso and Button doing in the standings? Gran (Jen) – Yes thanks,
bank holiday was very different to any other day! It was nice to have a day
off…. Dave S – Definitely like
a muscular swallow and description fits so Leach’s Petrel it is ! Enjoy the jolly / business trip (delete
as appropriate) and we too hope for tuna by the time you are back. Bye for now
Sadie |