Up at 0600 as Elaine had a taxi booked for 0700 and Ed and I needed to push off early also for our 130 mile drip across the sea of Tirenno and onto the Magdalena islands. We left at 0800 and motored for 2 hours before getting goods winds. The trip was uneventful apart from a distant thunderstorm at around 1500. We settled into our usual 3hours on and three hours off, with Ed cooking some pasta dish for lunch and and evening chicken in Parma ham with salad. Full moon and the usual accompanying planets of Jupiter and Venus.

Some radio activity at 2140,of the French Navy asking ships for assistance, but the was some 30mile of and nearer the Corsican coast.

The 0300 watch was started  and a large passenger vessel passed us on our starboard side. Night sailing is so much fun and is so easy. It’s easy to spot ships a far away as 12 miles or more and it becomes apparent very quickly whether there is a risk of collision. Mast head lights and navigation lights are remarkably easy to spot.i solitude of night sailing is wonderful, with thoughts rushing through your head about how many times these sea have been crossed by our ancestors,exploring, trading or conquering.

The heavens  above me were joined by two more distinguishable planets, Mars and Saturn and although not as bright as Jupiter or Venus, they were clearly visible.

A breeze of 8 kts allowed Arctura you sail at a steady 3 kts to our new location of Maddalena .

At approx 0500 my senses were focused upon a strange gushing noise in the water. At first I though it was my imagination, but after another 2 minutes there it was again. Yes, Whales. I couldn’t see them at first as it was still dark, but as they came up for air more often I could make out dark shadows breaking the surface of the water. I got my iPhone and snapped a video and although not too clear you can just about make out their outline and certainly hear the rasps of exhaled air as the talk their next breath. Fascinating and wondrous. An amazing feeling being surrounded and visited by these great creatures.

And after all this we arrived at Tahiti beach in the Madelenna islands for a well deserved rest and swim in turquoise waters.