Today is the last day of summer. On the Pacific Coast of the US it feels like winter. The sea is cold and any breeze blowing over it is chilled. Our arrival in San Francisco was first estimated to be 9:30 tonight, but yesterday we realized our fast passage would move it up to 6:30 PM, in time for a chance of pictures of us coming under the Golden Gate Bridge (GGB). Well the wind started to blow 20 to 25 knots switching from our port stern to our starboard stern last night after 6 PM. Our boat speed being 10 knots leaves10+ knots of apparent wind to propel us, sail us, even faster; we are running away from the wind. Before the 6-10 PM Old Men Watch (OMW) is over Bella Donna is doing 11.7 knots. As I awoke today the engine noise was drowned out by a loud swish followed by a rumble as our hull surfed over large waves pulled by sails in the brisk following wind. At 5 AM coffee, John was excited that Bella Donna reached 13.7 knots over night. Our expected arrival under the GGB is now moved up to 4 PM this afternoon.
Last year, the day we were to arrive in the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific, we were visited by large numbers of dolphins who played with Bella Donna. The islanders told us seeing dolphins on the last day of a passage is extreme good luck. This morning on the OMW we see what looks like a whale breech just in front of Bella Donna. As we brace for a whale of a collision, we notice orchestrated lines of synchronized dolphins joining Bella Donna sliding and twisting down the face of some incredible waves. The bows of Bella Donna come completely out of the water up to 10 feet from the leading edge. The dolphins are so sure of their swimming precision they swim under the airborne hull making it just before each hull plunges into the sea. The dolphins stay and play for an hour or more.
John's watch turns out to be a treasure trove. The wind and moderately large seas produce a 17.4 knot speed that creates a thunderous swish followed by a serious roar; the hull of Bella Donna shutters in pure delight like a dolphin. A short time latter I hear "whale whale" as we all rush out into the cockpit we see a huge whale behind Bella Donna in a playful mood just like the dolphins. The whale is coming out of the water landing making a huge splash. I am glad the whale does not get under Bella Donna's hull like the dolphins.
God Bless Bella Donna
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