Pot dodging and whale watching
2246UT | 52 18.64’N 130 05.84’W
Motoring, whale watching, snacking
Well, we are one full day in. It's been a bit of motoring and sailing so far. We had good wind around 9:00 last night. Duncan got us up to eleven knots at one point! Go Duncan!! The Ferriers also logged our first Orca sighting on their 3am-6am watch!
This morning is a gift as the temps are just right and we finally have some blue sky and plenty of sunshine. What a morale booster! Virginia served us a two-course meal that included chicken and frittata. So fancy! It was just what we all needed to warm us up in the chilly evening air. I can't end this post without mentioning the humpback whales. Wow! They really put on a show for us in all directions yesterday. Have a great day everybody!
-Denise
Denise is completely correct that the Ferrier’s were zooming around last night, but I’d like to add that they were zooming along whilst dodging a minefield of crab pots. We’d initially opted to scooch down the outside of the marked channel of Haida Gwai so we could tootle along free of cruise ships. However as we approached this area after dinner we were greeted with lines on lines of pots that made for some exciting sailing - 10/10 spotting and driving from Jarrett, Duncan and Jeremy. I decided that I didn’t want to spend my night hours trying to spot pots whilst going at 11 knots, so we altered course to the east and entered the marked channel. Here we were greeted by the bigger boats and deeper water, including one cruise ship that seemed worryingly intent on aiming for us no matter our course change. (Obviously we managed to hail them on the radio eventually so we’re still floating)
It was a glorious few hours sailing before it inevitably died as forecast. We’ve since been motoring along, looking hopeful whenever we get a sniff of breeze. I live in hope that by sunset tonight we’ll be back sailing as we emerge out of the lee of the island and the wind will be more westerly which lends itself to a better sailing angle. That should mark the start of a decent chunk of sailing until we reach the Juan de Fuca Strait. In the meantime we’ve been spotting whales all over the shop, so much so that the whale alarm is now much more subdued than prior. All good on board, sextant has been out whilst we’ve had clear skies, but looking forward to utilising our sails again soon.
Mary
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Day Four: The boat has figured us out
By day 4, things start to get into a rhythm that starts to look like a small community onboard. It’s when personalities start to flourish, when people start losing themselves and start to realize that they don’t really care about a lot of things! I’m pretty sure the disconnection from the internet starts aligning our inner selves. Clearly everyone has gotten their sea legs by now, and even the boat seems to have understood the type of crew she has now. I love to see how people start fitting into different roles with their peers and the boat itself.
Kärt barn har många namn
A dear child goes by many a name, or as we say in Swedish "kärt barn har många namn". This is the case for many a person, but also some species, not least the Mahi mahi, which also goes by dolphin fish, golden mackerel, and dorado, among others. Soon, we could see the fish jump, a hundred feet or so behind the boat, and as I kept reeling, a beautiful Mahi appeared under the surface. Manot showed us how to clean and fillet it, and after a complete team effort two large fillets are now in the freezer of Adrienne II.
Cast off the lines
When we awoke it was overcast but the Brazilian sun quickly burned the clouds away and we were left with blue skies. We reviewed some safety procedures, cleaned the boat and had an exciting Person Overboard (POB) recovery. Once we were underway spirits soared as we pointed the bow toward the Canary Islands. As I write this we are heading upwind and dealing with all that involves, and working into our first watches. It is hot, a bit bumpy but we are sailing!!