>
>
> It's dark tonight, a high overcast has blocked the star light and the water is black with the horizon barely distinguishable at the edge of our visibility. At least there's no fog to obscure the activity around us. We hear the heckling of a bevy of sea birds as they wheel around the stern, some bold enough to fly directly over the cockpit just above our heads, skirting the backstay in a game of chicken with Dawn Star. We're not sure why they're attracted to us at night, but they're quite talkative as they call to one another with a cute, giggling, giddy sound that makes us feel like we're the butt of some bird joke we don't understand. In any case, they keep us company as we steer, trim and grind our way towards the finish line.
>
> We hear them before we see them; the popping, breathy sound of the dolphins as they surface for a gulp of fresh sea air. Suddenly, we're surrounded by phosphorescent trails as they zoom up to Dawn Star and begin playing around the bow. Many of us have been lucky enough to see dolphins playing around a boat during the day, always a special moment to be treasured. To see this at night, in phosphorescent water. is even better, just pure magic. The entire dolphin is visible just under the water as they surf our bow wake. Their dark and white striped bodies glow green and shed bright glitter sparkles just like a streamlined, submarine Tinker Bell flying through the blackness. Each dolphin leaves a long glowing trail that twists and turns, like the smoke trail a stunt plane at an aerobatic show. It's surely a moment never to be forgotten.
