A Wild Life
Throughout our journey this last several weeks, we have continued to have our daily visits from dolphins which I always love. They never cease to bring a smile to my face and for the duration of their play in the wake of Inelsamo, I am transfixed. But on this trip we also were incredibly blessed to pass on by a Sperm Whale.
From the research I have managed to do, the Mediterranean is home to increasingly rare populations of cetaceans and whales in particular are very vulnerable and in danger in the area. So to see one is a special event! An organisation known as Tethys Research Institute, carry out the study of cetaceans in the Med so I was able to provide them with the latitude and longitude details of where we sited this guy which they much appreciated. Apparently, a lone whale such as we saw, was likely an old fellow.
But the truly special encounter we had this month was from a tiny
bird which I think may have been a juvenile Gold Finch, but don't quote me on that and I didn't take a picture for fear of scaring it off. Gold Finches are native to Europe and North Africa and the colouring was pretty close so I'm going with that! We were half way into our 240nm passage from Sardinia to Tunisia at the top of the African continent…so in the middle of the sea at least 100nm from land, and in about 19knts of wind, when this little thing landed on the push pit. Clearly exhausted on what was a very hot day, it clung to the deck beside Craig at the helm, sheltering in his shadow for the better part of 4 hours. It didn’t move far and certainly while wary of Craig, it nonetheless needed rest so trusted him to respect its space. Craig at one point came and sat with me in the cockpit and this little bird came with him, staying in the shade near his feet.
Then out of the blue, it gave a few little chirps hopped back up onto the push pit behind the helm and low and behold there appeared off our stern another similar bird on the wing chirping away. And then off they flew together. We couldn’t believe it. It was almost as though it’s partner or mum had been searching the sea for it! How they found each other in the middle of that ocean I’ll never know but the trust this little thing placed in us to help it on its way to wherever it was going, was a gift!
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