When you're racing across the Atlantic Ocean in a sailing yacht, make sure you're ready to duck when fish coming flying out of the water.
"One of the dangers of sailing at night in these warm waters is 'attacks' of waves of flying fish," captain Will Apold says in an email.
"Our helmsman of the moment just took one in the head … rather scary in the night time."
The Halifax-area man is currently in the middle of the Atlantic on board the Valkyrie, racing 5,556 kilometres from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean. He expects to complete the Royal Ocean Racing Club Transatlantic Race in about 12 days.
Apold, 67, says the flying fish are the size of small herring, but have transparent wings. "They accelerate out of the waves using their fins and 'fly' with their pectoral fins."
His crew includes his daughter, Christine, local sailors Ben Maloney, Evan Petley-Jones, Roby Douglas, and Rod MacKay. There are 12 on board, eight Canadians and four Israelis.
Transatlantic crossing
They left Lanzarote, the most eastern island in the Canary Islands on Sunday, heading for their final destination, Grenada.
Valkyrie, a 24-metre sailing yacht, is one of 12 vessels ranging from 12 to 30 metres competing in this year's event. The front-runners are expected to complete the race tomorrow, having reached speeds of over 30 knots.
Apold says he expects it will take about seven days for his boat to complete the remainder of the race.
Setbacks
The Valkyrie is holding up well, but has lost two sails so far. A ripped jib top slowed them a bit, reports Apold, and the big spinnaker was also ripped.
"Losing two sails this early on is disheartening but part of the survival ethos of long distance offshore racing. As my wife Beth says, 'Lucky you have four more with you!' Very true words."
The sailors are eating well at sea, dining on chili, stew and schnitzel. "No freeze-dried food for us," Apold said in his email.
They haven't seen one sailboat or vessel since they left the Canaries, and happily have not seen any garbage in the water.
Apold reports the days are sunny and warm, with cool evenings that are still much warmer than sailing on the east coast of Canada.
"The stars are spectacular," he said. "The Milky Way's stars are so visible one can actually believe there are billions all out there."