Travelogue: whales and more whales

Spain Ahead – September 22
Date and time: 22.09.25, 11:30
Location: LAT 49.44°, LON 15.39°
SOG (speed over ground): 11.2 knots
Wind: 15 knots

We are close enough now to hear Spanish over the VHF, a sure sign that the coast is near. The past two days have been filled with whales, some far off but many close enough to see clearly, their spouts rising against the horizon. Once, a mother and calf surfaced together, the tall spray of the adult alongside the small puff of the young one. Yesterday, a whale even passed right under the bow from starboard to port, to everyone’s delight.

The birds have thinned out, though they will surely return as we close in on land. Meanwhile, the crew has been hard at work since early morning, chipping, welding, and cleaning manhole covers, making sure the nuts and bolts will not freeze or break when handled in port. Calm weather gives them the chance to catch up on tasks that storms made impossible, and there is plenty to do on the safety systems and around the deck.

I sit with the sea still rolling gently under us, watching signs of life in the water and activity on deck, knowing that Spain is only days away.