The magic book (Ocean Passages for the World) said that to get from Bahia, Brazil, northwards, the best thing to do was head out on the port tack, and make about 100 miles offshore before tacking and heading North.  This way adverse current which tended to set you in on the beach and slow you considerably, could be avoided.  So this is what we did, motor-sailing under main alone with the two pot Lister diesel engine banging away, making a little South of East.

 

As we were leaving the harbor we had noticed a submarine alongside, that appeared to be getting ready for sea, and thought no more about it.  As it got dark, we kept plugging away out to sea, when on the western horizon we saw navigation lights closing in from astern.  The lights were set high, so we assumed they were naval vessels, and realized there were about six of them spread in line abreast across the horizon behind us, and closing.  Shortly after, a naval helicopter came up on our port side about 200 yards off, hovered, and then hung a buoy on a line into the water, listening we presumed.

 

The helicopter retracted the buoy and went on ahead, while the line of ships steamed past us and away over the horizon.  From what we had seen, and given the submarine, we assumed we had just been in the middle of a Brazilian Naval exercise in sub-hunting.

 

Suddenly about 20 yards off the port side there was a huge swirl of water, which at first sight we thought was a whale, but turned out to be the submarine.  He came up so only the conning tower was clear, and matched our speed close to.  An officer appeared on the conning tower, faced us at attention, saluted, and then disappeared below.  They then submerged.  The submarine had been sitting under us, using the considerable noise of our engine to mask their presence.

 

I want the captain of that submarine on my side in any future conflict.