Tuesday 27 June 2006 - My sister's birthday + whales
Happy Birthday, Jilly!!!!! I faced East and sang to you - hope you heard. Loads of love!!!!
Anyway, today we left Fermeuse Harbour, and I was woken up really really early - not by J wanting to get to sea again, but by something shining in my eyes. Torture! - then I held my hand up to the little port, and something red was reflected off my palm. Oh, what now, I groaned. And it was the SUN, and I saw a sunrise for the first time for days and days, outlining the dark hills. And it carried on this way all the way to St John's, only the tiniest of fog banks dropping in for a quick visit.
I was sitting at the back of the cockpit in my usual fair weather place, back propped against a couple of fenders, suncream at the ready, when a few yards off the port bow was a quick puff of spray - whale blow! Then a smooth gray hump, and a wave of the tail - and gone! Oh, oh, oh, oh - it was all I could say to get Jack's attention, pointing like a loony, while he grabbed his camera. All over in seconds, but so clo-ose. Close enough to see it was a humpback, confirmed in my whale watching book - words cant even begin.
Later, we saw 2 more blows, several times, but they were further away - still, at least it shows there are some whales around. International Whaling Commission is again supporting hunting minke and some endangered fin whales - see Greenpeace, join Greenpeace against this - I went to the Antarctic, South Georgia, where whales have been virtually exterminated, and it is a tragedy to do this, benefiting us not at all, and ruining the ecology of our beautiful planet. No apologies for this rant.
Entering St John's harbour is via an invisible cleft in the cliff face - The Narrows - then turn left into the main waterway. A hidden harbour. We are directed to a tiny wharf with a floating pontoon - oh dear, no ladder - and tie up next to a wreck. Except it isnt a wreck, it's off tomorrow to cross the Atlantic to Ireland, single handed by a charming Frenchman. J asks me if I am jumping ship to go with him - Fuck, no, I reply.
Anyway, today we left Fermeuse Harbour, and I was woken up really really early - not by J wanting to get to sea again, but by something shining in my eyes. Torture! - then I held my hand up to the little port, and something red was reflected off my palm. Oh, what now, I groaned. And it was the SUN, and I saw a sunrise for the first time for days and days, outlining the dark hills. And it carried on this way all the way to St John's, only the tiniest of fog banks dropping in for a quick visit.
I was sitting at the back of the cockpit in my usual fair weather place, back propped against a couple of fenders, suncream at the ready, when a few yards off the port bow was a quick puff of spray - whale blow! Then a smooth gray hump, and a wave of the tail - and gone! Oh, oh, oh, oh - it was all I could say to get Jack's attention, pointing like a loony, while he grabbed his camera. All over in seconds, but so clo-ose. Close enough to see it was a humpback, confirmed in my whale watching book - words cant even begin.
Later, we saw 2 more blows, several times, but they were further away - still, at least it shows there are some whales around. International Whaling Commission is again supporting hunting minke and some endangered fin whales - see Greenpeace, join Greenpeace against this - I went to the Antarctic, South Georgia, where whales have been virtually exterminated, and it is a tragedy to do this, benefiting us not at all, and ruining the ecology of our beautiful planet. No apologies for this rant.
Entering St John's harbour is via an invisible cleft in the cliff face - The Narrows - then turn left into the main waterway. A hidden harbour. We are directed to a tiny wharf with a floating pontoon - oh dear, no ladder - and tie up next to a wreck. Except it isnt a wreck, it's off tomorrow to cross the Atlantic to Ireland, single handed by a charming Frenchman. J asks me if I am jumping ship to go with him - Fuck, no, I reply.
posted by susyrosy @ 4:12 pm
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