Saturday 15 August

Saturday 15 August
Madeira 385 nautical miles at 105 degrees
The east wind has set us quite a bit west of the rhumb line from Faial to Madeira. From here we have to sail at 105 degrees to get there, which may be difficult. But the wind is forecasted to go north tonight, and we will be able to make some easting back toward the line. Today the wind got less and less and then died. Now we are motoring, east of course.
The excitement today was first a pod of orcra (killer whale - I have no idea how to spell it). They were big things, maybe half as long as the boat, black with white marking down the sides, and a big triangular dorsal fin. They did not play like dolphins but made a close pass, like ten feet, and kept going. Then about an hour later Adnaan and I were sitting in the cockpit talking when I saw something about 1/4 mile away, something fuzzy. Then I saw the fuzzyness again, and some more. Adnaan confirmed it. He has seen it many times but this is the first time I have ever seen whales. (Thinking of you, John!) They were so far away we could only catch a glimpse of the bodies and flukes but the spouting was impressive. Quite high above the horizon, and a lot of it. They seemed to spout every 30 seconds or so and there were a group of them. I thought it was great. Adnaan said that if we were not motoring we could hear the whoosh of the spouting.
Thinking back on one of the highlights of Horta. I found local wine, on sale less than 1 euro per liter, local bread, more of a large heavy roll than a loaf, and wonderful local cheese. I bought a lot of each, and it was dinner several nights. You may have noticed a few days ago I said I was drinking wine on the foredeck instead of rum. A bottle of wine, a loaf of bread with cheese, to make perfect the Portuguese evening.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II