We are slowly working our way towards the Canary Islands, but weather in fall unfortunately continues to make progress slow. We had to stop for two nights in Porto, Portugal, to wait out rough sea conditions, but are now back on our way, headed for Santa Cruz de Tenerife. We plan to make landfall around Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
In continuation of passing some of the largest cargo ships in the world last week, I have decided to similarly keep track of some of the 'biggests' I come across. Here are some:
Deepest water - 5,142m / 16,870ft; offshore of Morocco
Largest vessel - 400m / 1312ft; the likes of MSC Raya, Maersk Maribo, Cosco Universe
Widest vessel - 61.5m / 202ft; MSC Raya
Deepest vessel (draught) - 21m / 69ft; a tanker off the coast of Spain
Fastest vessel - 20.6kt / 38.6kmh; a cruise ship
Farthest vessel seen on AIS - 182.5 miles / 338km; Automatic Identification System, where boats can see other boats and information such as what is found on this list. Broadcast over VHF, where maximum distance is typically 20 miles line-of-sight.
A tired bird rests
Arriving into Porto, Portugal, late in the evening with glassy water
A typical Portuguese village
The Igreja do Mosteiro de Santo Agostinho da Serra do Pilar
Birds flock around a fishing boat, eager for a chance at its catch
A full moon means great visibility, even at night
A full moon is a welcome aid for navigating at night
Some close-quarters navigation at 5am, several hundred miles offshore
Sailing with our code 5 in favorable conditions
Dolphins!
One of the most stunning sunsets to date
