Current Position:10 11.70S / 134 03.1W at 0200UTC, 2000hrs boat time Galapagos, 1800hrs Alaska time. SOG 7.5kts. COG 246T. Wind: Steady ESE 14kts. Sea State: Another bouncy day with white caps. DTR:294nm. 24hr run 170nm.
After sixteen days at sea with very little sleep we are both showing the signs. We're irritable, irrational at times, not overly hungry and there's not a lot of banter happening.
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| All those green fishing boats came from nowhere. |
For the first time since day 3 of this passage our AIS alarm went off. The Chinese fishing fleets were at it again. Not one but six trawlers popped up on our screen, the closest being just six miles away but with the big swells we couldn't see it. It just happened to be at the very moment that we gybed the boat to the north so there was no worries about getting too close to them.
Last night we had a terrible moment. Our little seafaring Gecko Gaz who has been on board since Panama was not looking well. Every night he'd be out and about running around the galley in search of bugs attracted by the lights. Galapagos was just heaven for him but since we've left there the pickings have been mighty slim.
We've tried to coax him to eat with a little banana and whatever dead bugs we could find for him. We've even left droplets of water splashed along his usual route in the hope that it would boost his tiny metabolism. But we feared the worst. And then last night after finding him turned turtle and as motionless as a rock near the plant on the bench he did a mini Lazarus and was back on his feet again. Tonight he is curled up on my tea bag holder behind a photo of our long lost pooch. With only two days to go till we make landfall we are hoping that he makes it. The mood will be pretty dull around here if he doesn't.
Today's sailing has been another blur of sail changes, but it doesn't matter what we did the wind direction is the direction and you have to go with the flow even if that means you are going in the wrong way. We have now gybed north and once we get back up to the rhumbline will probably have to do a couple more. We really don't want to have to put the engine on if we can avoid it. No one gets a fanfare welcome if you cross the finish line under motor.
We must say a big thank you to everyone who have written emails and sent SMS's over the past weeks. It's been great to hear from you and always brightens up our day. And an extra special thanks to Mark and Amanda from Balvenie who have been our global reporters for daily updates on world events, sport and most importantly the weather. You have both been here so you know just how much getting the news from outside our little traveling bubble means to us. Thanks again.
So the big question ..Are we there yet? Nearly, just two more sleeps!
Follow us on our tracker at:
https://aus-share.inreach.garmin.com/GoneWithTheWind
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