My attention was diverted away from the helm as I noticed something flopping about in the water 100 yards ahead. A fin? Two fins? No, they were wing tips attached to graceful and gliding manta rays. I called my wife Melanie and we turned off the engines to try and avoid frightening them off. We drifted slowly towards them to discover that our Privilege 435 catamaran, Rock ‘n’ no Roll, was surrounded by a family of them, eight in all.
Incredibly they seemed not the least bit bothered by us, cruising around gently in circles, just doing their thing.
Now stationary, I stripped off, donned mask and snorkel and slipped into the water with them. Wow! In front, beside and below, everywhere I looked, I could see one; this was magical. After a while they got inquisitive and glided gently straight towards me. It was a little intimidating having a 6ft wing span, huge white mouth and big beady eyes heading for you, but with a gentle flap of their wings they glided by. We spent about an hour with the mantas before they dived slowly into the deep and we said goodbye. Another magical moment to cherish and we felt it was an auspicious start to this new phase in our sailing adventure, although it wasn’t to last long.
Denne historien er fra January 2020-utgaven av Yachting Monthly.
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Denne historien er fra January 2020-utgaven av Yachting Monthly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
I WAS THE ONLY SAILOR ON OUR FAMILY CHARTER AND IT HAD TO GO WELL
Crystal waters, cliff tombs and sunken outboards lain Willis wanted to ensure plain sailing for his family’s first charter around Turkey's Lycian Coast
HOW IT WORKS SEAWATER PUMP
The water and oil seals on a water pump shaft will eventually wear with time, leading to pump-shaft corrosion or loss of engine oil.
THOUSANDS OF MILES ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN
Floris and Ivar battled severe weather and cross swell to sail from Australia to South Africa, but there were beautiful islands on the way
The secret of yachts with enduring appeal
Fashions come and go, but J-Boats remain a safe choice for great sailing boats, whether you want to own it for ever or sell it
Tragic sinking of Bayesian; Italian prosecutors investigate
The sinking of the Bayesian superyacht in reportedly only 16 minutes and the tragic loss of seven lives has sent a shudder through the sailing community and beyond.
THE ADVENT OF MARINE AI TECHNOLOGY
Fonathon Savill reports on the revolutionary impact artificial intelligence is about to have on all areas of life at sea
IMPROVING SINGLE-LINE REEFING
Martin Watts explains how to reduce the friction on the reefing lines of newer yachts
The secrets of skippering a successful cruise
Setting off on a cruise is easy, but planning a route that keeps your options open and ensures the enjoyment of all on board is more of an art
CRUISING THE KINGDOM OF THE ISLES
Joanna Martin and her husband Mark sail across the Irish Sea to the legendary sea kingdom and to draw the wonderful wildlife there
MOODY DS48
Can a boat built for long-term, long-distance cruising and offering one-level living still deliver an enjoyable sailing experience? Theo Stocker sets sail across the English Channel to find out
