Drama on the ocean waves as yacht crew strikes baby whale

the Capital’s entry in the Clipper Round the World yacht race has struck a whale as it sailed through fog during its Atlantic crossing.

By The Newsroom

Published 21st Jun 2012, 13:00 BST

The crew is heading from Newfoundland to Derry/Londonderry on race 13 of the year-long challenge.

Skipper Piers Dudin said: “We have stepped on to the famous Grand Banks, or at least the tail of it, and no sooner did we arrive than we literally bumped into a snoozing baby whale, not sure what kind, apart from the kind now carrying a sore head and a streak of blue paint down its side.

“It gave off a startled ‘blow off’ and the night watch has since been wondering what stories it’ll make up about its night out when it gets home and whether its mother will believe it.”

The boat is in fifth place, with the fleet expected to complete the race between June 29 and July 1. It will then set off around the north of Scotland, stopping in Den Helder in the Netherlands before returning to Southampton for the race finale on the weekend of July 21 and 22.

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