-----Original message-----
From: wdf3813@sailmail.com
Sent: Tue, Jun 28, 2011 20:27:00 GMT+00:00
Subject: Thar She Blows

Yesterday was whale day.

In the morning, we saw an Orca probably 40 feet or less to starboard, swimming in the same direction we were traveling. Later that afternoon, we had four or five whales, I believe Sei Whales, traveling also to starboard. These whales are not small, up to 60 feet or more. I suppose they may have been the smaller Minkes, however, they seemed longer than the boat. This group came within about 30 feet, but generally followed about 200 yards away.

We have also been seeing albatrosses and smaller birds, maybe petrels.

At the time, I was reading about the whale ship Essex, which was sunk in the early 19th century by a Sperm Whale and had one of its boats attacked by an Orca. At the same time, Ben was reading Moby Dick! That novel was based on the story of the Essex.

We are just over 800 nm from Sitka and moving well. Cloudy and cold, 58 degrees, with lumpy seas. Hope to be in Sitka about July 5.

TIME: 2011/06/28 20:18
LATITUDE: 46-43.39N
LONGITUDE: 151-15.86W
COURSE: 011T
SPEED: 6.1

Michael Wilson, Touch Rain