Of bumpy rides and ocean fairies...

[Ricochet]

That was kinda amazing.
Been Sailing on the "Warrior" yesterday. A 22 meter racing yacht that was built for the race Cape Town to Rio (and won it).
However it wasn't my first trip on this boat, but the most exciting so far.
We went out at 5:30pm. Sun was already setting. We had 9 knots wind and went 10 knots (kinda cool hey?). We've been sailing for about one hour outwards Algoa Bay before e turned around.
By then the night was already pitch black, beside some moon light and the lights of the city. Then, after about tens minutes on our way back, we suddenly hit something quite hard at full speed. The hit was quite hard and I felt on my butt.
My first thought was that we hit a school of whales (it was a series of bumps).
But it turned out that we hit a reef. Some of the crew members rushed to inspect the hull, luckily the boat didn't leak... and luckily we didn't get stuck on the reef and nobody was injured.

So we continued on our way back to the marina...

Then we saw the MOST amazing thing I've ever seen and I guess there are just a few people out there who have seen it before.

A school of dolphins joined the boat. Nothing unusual in these waters and certainly not even worth mentioning here.
The amazing thing about this was that the dolphins where glowing in blue!
Yeah, they where glowing blue... they had this blue outline which was created by the bioluminescence of the phytoplankton, that reacted to the disturbance in water created by the dolphis skin.
The scence would have fit perfectly in Cameron's "The Abyss" or some kind of fantasy movie.

I tried to capture the dolphins on a movie clip with my compact digital camera. But it was way to dark to produce any useful result.


...guess I have to keep this experience in my mind then.



Cheers,

Sascha

 

[maytag]

That is a neat story! How often does this phytoplankton bioluminescent phenomenon occur? Is it seasonal, or does it depend on a serendipitous mix of factors? (Sorry, I am not knowledgeable in marine biology). It must have been quite the sight!

Oddly enough, I read some time ago that the SA America's Cup team ran into a whale, and it actually resulted in some damage to their vessel and some crew injuries...

 

[island_sands]

hey are you still living out there then? Nice one, I am really jealous

 

[Ricochet]

That is a neat story! How often does this phytoplankton bioluminescent phenomenon occur? Is it seasonal, or does it depend on a serendipitous mix of factors? (Sorry, I am not knowledgeable in marine biology). It must have been quite the sight!

Oddly enough, I read some time ago that the SA America's Cup team ran into a whale, and it actually resulted in some damage to their vessel and some crew injuries...

I have no idea either... I guess the most important 'incredient' is luck.
The glowing phytoplankton seems to be quite common, though.
At some nights, where there is no moonlight and stuff, you can see the breaking waves glowing in blue and mostly in green.

It seems to happen quite often, that (sail)boats run into wales and vica versa. I've been told about Killer Wales and Sperm Wales that accidently sank small vessels when they tried to surface for air. Thats why i first thought that we ran into some wales.


@ Sarah,

Yeah, I'm still here. Been back to Germany from November to January, though.
I guess I could really get used to SA.
I just returned from a roadtrip from P.E. to Cape Town and back.
Have you ever been to Knysna? Must be one of the best places in the world to live in.

 

[chris the vis]

Hey guys and girls check the link for more info on bioluminescence: [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescences]Bioluminescences - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
I found the bit under attraction-camouflage for dinoflagellates quite cool!

 

[Lockedin]

We get "Red Tides" out here quite often, where bioluminescent plankton thrive. There are three beaches in my local area that set up so well, that night surfing is easy, even without a moon. A few times a year at Malibu, the Plankton (combined with the filth of the Malibu lagoon I guess) glow so brightly, that night vision is affected! Diving in the area can become impossible, as the vis is terrible during the day, and the glow is really all that is visible at night! It's good fun to watch fish dart away, and the wakes and sprays from surfers and waves lighting up the night.

Great story, Ricochet! Well told! Great link Chris!

Hmmmm, there's going to be a SW swell this weekend....

 

[island_sands]

@ Sarah,

Yeah, I'm still here. Been back to Germany from November to January, though.
I guess I could really get used to SA.
I just returned from a roadtrip from P.E. to Cape Town and back.
Have you ever been to Knysna? Must be one of the best places in the world to live in.

Knysna... have seen loads of photos and almost bought a property there, but have not been. I love Knysna oysters...mmmmmmm

it is a beautiful area, i look forward to going back SA again, probably Xmas time.

 

[Ricochet]

The whole SA thing is getting really "exciting" now.

Last friday I joined a fundraising party at the P.E. Tennis club, together with a couple of friends. All to gether we were about 70 people, drank and played Trivial Pursuit.
At around 8:00 o'clock three Nigerians, one with a gun, came through the temporarly unlocked door and shouted at us to get on the floor.
One of the guest started to fight them off with a char and more people joined him and threw objects at the intruders. (I've been lying on the floor, though)
The one with the gun shot at the man with the chait but missed him, instead he hit a women. They than finally realized, that the obviously underestimated the whole situation in the club and ran away.
The Police arrived within two minutes....
Who knows how this might have handed if they started to collect our valuables... The police, certainly, would have arrived before they could finish their robbery and the whole thing might have ended in a hostage situation with more people injured or dead.

The woman is still struggling for her life.


Sascha

 

[deep thinker]

Damn dude thats pretty hardcore. I think people are just tired of being put in such situations and that its about time someone starts to stand up and open a can of wup ass. Theyll get the message eventually :martial :ko

 

[fcallagy]

Jaysus richochet,
Hope she pulls through must have been unnerving to say the least

 

[Ricochet]

Just found this article about the incedent. The whole thing took place on friday, though, not on saturday as the article states:
The Herald Online **News**

 

[maytag]

Ricochet,
Sorry what would have sounded like a fun party turned into what sounds like a nightmare. I am really glad you are ok, and praying the lady will be ok, too.

 

[Ricochet]

That lady is out of hospital, now. She is still verry weak and thus in a wheel chair. She kept the bullet as a memento.
After several attempted burglaries in my house, I now also moved to a flat at the beach (with view at the harbor and sea :king), were it is much safer. After that shooting I just don't wanna wait for them to break in while I'm at home.

 

[island_sands]

That lady is out of hospital, now. She is still verry weak and thus in a wheel chair. She kept the bullet as a memento.
After several attempted burglaries in my house, I now also moved to a flat at the beach (with view at the harbor and sea :king), were it is much safer. After that shooting I just don't wanna wait for them to break in while I'm at home.

***** just saw this now. my brother was hijacked with AK47s on three separate occasions in South Africa during the 90s,, which is one of the reasons why he now lives in Europe. Our prays for her speedy recovery from such an awful trauma. I am sorry to say this, but it could have been worse. She is lucky she only got shot, as South African stats show otherwise.... :waterwork

 

[maytag]

That lady is out of hospital, now. She is still verry weak and thus in a wheel chair. She kept the bullet as a memento.
After several attempted burglaries in my house, I now also moved to a flat at the beach (with view at the harbor and sea :king), were it is much safer. After that shooting I just don't wanna wait for them to break in while I'm at home.

These seemingly random things keep my perspective in check...

Nice update. I'm glad she survived - and it looks like with great spirits keeping a bullet as a souvenir! More power to her! And, I am glad you moved to a safer apartment, too, with a view to boot. Happy housewarming!