LN902 15/08/2016 Forward Starboard – Afternoon watch

“The wind is blowing in the direction from where it came, a gentle swell from over there” said Bob (retired Australian Met Office)…..NNE actually.

“Whale spouts sighted!” shouted Tobias keeping watch on the port side. “Absolutely nothing” said Scott on the starboard side, although, if he’d eyes in the back of his head he’d have seen another “Tall Ship”, the “Gulden Leeuw” closing in on us. On the other hand, Deirdre has proved that the world is flat by seeing the same ship “fall of the horizon”……no more rum tots for Deirdre. There was random motivational words from our watch-leader, Jon – “Yes well erm, the clock is ticking”. We gave our under 25s on the watch to the care of 3^rd Officer Sean to practice rolling out fire-hoses. The wind has dropped and the swell has settled to a soporific roll……a very gentle “Biscay” at present. Later on, after dinner, a whale passed from port across our bows to starboard at which point it was no more than 50m from us. For most this was their first sighting and many appreciative noises were heard. The fore and aft sails were handed and we continue motoring north. Some wind for the “square sails” tomorrow, hopefully.