Day 39 – Whales

8 Apr, 07 – 21.30    
17.3462N,34.3725W
24 hr progress: 15.9 Nautical Miles
Distance left to Antigua: 1556 Nautical Miles ( 2928.5 km)
(Note: 1 Nautical Mile = 1.85 km)
Conditions: Wave height – 7-8ft, Winds - 15-20kt

As if to make up for yesterday's near fatal collision, I happened to notice gray pieces of floating land, about 9 meters in length in the water, near the boat.
As I was having breakfast on deck, I spotted a pod of pilot whales. Massive grey creatures with huge alien like bulging heads, 7 meters in length (about the length of the boat) if not more, giving the impression of submarines from outer space.
One of them seemed a bit wary of the boat and swam across the bow, leaving a good buffer zone. The other, more curious, came right up to the boat and swam around the stern for about 15 minutes, breathing heavily through its blowhole and spraying water all over, before leaving to join its mate.
They returned again in the evening, presumably after lunch. This time I counted five of them near the boat and possibly two more in the distance. They came towards the boat surfing down the waves. A few magic moments with the boat at the bottom of the wave and the whales at the crest, which brought us at eye level in the 7ft waves.
As they surfed down the waves, they were preceded by a mass tuna fish entourage, which made it look like a grey cloud emerging from a silver one.
I closed the watertight doors of the cabin, just in case they ran into the boat and flipped it over. This time, they stayed for a lot longer bubbling and blowing away all around the boat. The misty spray from their blowhole forming a rainbow. Another magic moment as one of the smaller whales, which I presume was a calf, came up right next to the boat. We both stood there, looking at each other. I could have sworn we made eye contact. I was just about to reach out and touch it, before it exhaled blowing its whaley spit or whatever all over me and the cameras, before diving under the boat.
Got some great photos and video that I will post on here when I am back. Unfortunately, because of the cuts on my body, I will have to wait a while until I can get back into the water so no underwater filming for now.
Maybe it is the gray anti-fouling paint on the hull that attracted them (which may look like another whale from the bottom) or the slow speed of the boat and the lack of any motor noise to scare them away. In any case, I felt quite a privilege being able to watch them in the wild at such a close range. It cheered me up for the rest of the day.
Back to issues rowing related. Very frustrating on the progress front. I will post an update on the rudder situation, water maker, and route tomorrow. Trying to work out my best options.
B

Pod of pilot whales

Whale surfing a wave near the boat

Calf next to the boat