November 1487, 22 degrees south latitude, Namibian coast, Cape Cross.
The summer sea breeze of the southern hemisphere blew in from the Western Ocean, carrying a moist salty scent, surging towards the sandy sea of the East. Under the clear sky and sea, flocks of seabirds soared. Albatrosses spread their long wings, red-breasted herons sang loudly, white pelicans flew to the sea and back to the sky, while flamingos hovered high.
The sea sparkled with waves, dolphins circled the anchored sailboats, curiously observing many people they had never seen before. A few miles away, humpback whales, over ten meters long, leaped out of the water, splashing several meters high. These massive creatures moved leisurely, waving their wing-like pectoral fins, and emitting complex and prolonged low chants!
