West Ireland - Sao Miguel, Azores, August 2018
It’s such a sweet feeling to be powered by nature! When the wind gives the speed and the salty ocean provides an endless choice of paths. Where the horizon and your own spirit are the only true limits.
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Such an amazingly beautiful Atlantic sailing stretch we just have had! From the west coast of Ireland, it took us 10 days until we started to glimpse land again. Except for a couple of wet and bumpy nights, the 1265 nautical miles of sailing went very smooth.
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Meanwhile we have been trying to keep the south-westerly course as good as possible to make the best out of the wind direction, I have fully been appreciating the great freedom vibes those days at sea fills me with. The endless Atlantic horizon makes one feel like being alone on a big, blue and salty ocean planet...
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Not to feel the tiniest hint of seasickness during the entire crossing was obviously a big bonus! But the best of all are the many whale sightings we have had during the trip, especially in the start of the crossing, when the flat sea conditions combined with our route along the continental shelf south of Ireland, provided us with the most awesome whale conditions one can ask for.Big numbers of fin whales, pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins and common dolphins where all seen the same day. In addition to the whales, we also got brief sightings of both sun fish and an unidentified shark. Days like this I truly am in paradise!
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More fin whales, sharks and plenty common dolphins have been keeping us company once in a while throughout the trip. Days when waves seem to be the only company the eye can catch, it is such an exciting sight to suddenly see a group of common dolphins appear in distance to soon thereafter accompany our voyage for a bit!In addition to these glamorous creatures, we have, after reaching more than half way of the sailing distance, observed more cetacean species such as beaked whales, sperm whales and risso dolphins.
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The nights have been very dark due to new moon and the thick cloud cover we have had most of the nights. When there finally is a small clearing allowing the stars to smile through, I feel as excited as a small kid about to open it’s Christmas gift!-There they are, the shooting stars! 💫
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After 10 days all surrounded by vast and salty Atlantic water, we finally start to glimpse land in far distance.
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The next morning starts up as a golden treasure. The now clear and blue Atlantic is again completely flat and the green island in front of us is rapidly getting much closer.
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Sao Miguel is a flourishing volcanic island, located about 700 nautical miles west from the Portuguese coast. It is one of nine islands that makes the Azores, which is where we will spend our upcoming time filming and diving.So looking forward to our continuously salty weeks in one of my favourite surroundings. Time only can tell what encounters are awaiting us in these deep waters this time! 🐬💦
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