Our destination lies south, where warmer weather awaits. But for now, we're strategically steering clear of the northwestern tip of Spain, where a wind acceleration zone promises gusts of 30-40 knots. Let's just say, that wouldn't exactly help with the dry-foot mission!
Everything onboard is running smoothly, and even Craig is doing well after his initial woes – just a lingering cough to contend with now. We're both eagerly anticipating that southward turn for some sunshine and warmth.
An additional perk of our offshore route? Avoiding any potential encounters with killer whales, also known as Orcinus orca. Here's a fun fact for you: Orcinus literally translates to "of the kingdom of the dead," referencing the Roman god of the underworld, Orcus. So, technically, "Orcinus orca" means "whale from the underworld" – a bit of an ominous moniker for such an intelligent and social creature!
This name choice seems particularly odd considering the lack of documented attacks on humans by orcas in the wild. Perhaps "friendly giant of the deep" just wouldn't have the same ring to it, but it certainly reflects their nature more accurately. And it makes me wonder why there are no records of documented attacks.
Speaking of avoiding encounters, we did come across a moderate amount of vessel traffic today – 16 ships within a 15 nautical mile radius, all heading to/from the Straits of Gibraltar. It reminds me of the Singapore Strait except all these ships have lights on and AIS (Automatic Identification System), and there aren't 500 fishing boats in the way!
The plan is to begin the turn south tomorrow and I am looking forward to slowly removing the layers of fleeces keeping me less cold.
