Day 18, Wednesday, 5th May, 2010

Light winds out of the east to east north east aren't ideal but we're working with what we've got. So we are making progress, with about 170 miles to go. Inspiration Lady is in line to buy the ice creams for Anthem, Jackster and Bristol Rose.

The fishing has been light. Elliot's catch amounts to 5 mahi mahi of eating size and one small one that he released. A few days ago we saw a whale we estimate to be about 30 feet long, just about 200 yards off. It's probably a good thing we weren't any closer.

We had the most amazing experience yesterday afternoon. A pod of pilot whales surfed in the swell alongside of us for about half an hour. At first sight they looked like large dolphins with large rounded heads. They're majestic and beautiful to watch, zooming through the water back and forth alongside and underneath us. What was truly incredible was that we could hear them talking in a high pitched "squeal/squeak". The sounds came through the hull!