10AM our comrades under sail in their twice our MYLADY size, raced passed us.
All in all one could classify it as a bluewater cruising day.
10:30AM "Whales!" roared skipper, "Whales!"
I grabbed the camera and made my way to the cockpit.
"WHALES!" skipper screamed.
Catching a glimpse of the backfin of the humongous 'diveboat' infront of us, I was shocked to realize the distance of almost nothing between us.
Panic-control kicked in. Skipper vigorously disengaged the windvane-clutch off the steeringwheel and abruptly swung MYLADY to starboard whilst muttering under his breath.
Hastily I turned to port with my camera. Arms-length from the boat, the water was light turquoise where one whale had just submersed. The other had its dark pancake 'footprint' as it leveled the surface, next to number one. They became unidentifiable in the lively water. In the wake of MYLADY, two boat-lengths away, first one, then the second spout raised into the air and they became one with the ocean.
With relief and amazement and annoyance that once again MYLADY was picked out for an encounter, skipper corrected MYLADY's course and windvane-self-steering.
Naturally, I could not get a proper photo. We were instantly reminded of an event in Tonga where a playing whale came blowing bubbles under MYLADY. The water was the same light shades of turquoise. It was scary. As was this.
