Las Perlas>Galapagos July 5th 2011 - Day 6: DTF 144nm (00:50.2N 88:00.4W)
Aquamante
Vries Peter Pons
Tue 5 Jul 2011 22:50
target, and although the winds are still quite fresh at 15-20 knots when
sailing close-hauled, during most of the day the waves were not as steep and
short as the day before making it a comfortable ride again. And the sun even
came out for a while.
Daph started in her fourth book during this crossing and I decided not to
worry about all the upcoming jobs on the boat, but to read about sail trim
and try it out with our new main sail. And that worked out very nicely,
although it was a bit of a shocker to find out Aquamante could sail much
higher to the wind than earlier and then practiced during the first 5 days
of this crossing, which might have saved us a day. In the evening the wind
increased to well over 20 knots and the current became more favourable,
which made us go well over 8 knots, but after some calculations we found out
we would not make it in time to reach San Cristobal safely in daylight. So
we decided to heave to, a very relaxed way of parking your boat in the
middle of the ocean, take an 8 hour nap and continue our crossing tomorrow
morning in order to arrive at San Cristobal Thursday morning. Which is what
we did just before I started writing this blog. And what's really amazing:
whilst we're floating quietly with 20 knots of wind and 3-4m waves, we've
got a bunch of dolphins around us for the last half hour making an enormous
noise, varying from breathing, whistling, clicking and all other kinds of
sounds I cannot even describe.
Good night!