Galápagos>Marquesas 03-08-2011 (Day 1, 16.00h loca l time): DTF 2833nm (01:42.1S 95:05.3W)

Aquamante
Vries Peter Pons
Wed 3 Aug 2011 22:13
SE winds between 10 and 20 knots throughout the night with a swell of 2-3m
from the SE, which allowed us to lay down without being thrown from one side
to the other. Did not sleep that much though, because the first few days of
a longer passage you always have to get into the rhythm, or a more plausible
explanation, you have to get really tired and then you sleep whatever the
circumstances.

Made nice progress the first day with some 170nm in 24h, which is not bad,
considering it includes hoisting anchor and getting a fishing line with nets
off the keel this morning. Already wondered how come we were doing 3.5kn all
of a sudden instead of 6.5-7kn with 9-10kn of wind, but we continued going
and did not fully stop. That is to say, until a fishing boat rushed towards
us with three guys waiving frantically. Lowered sails, but did not want to
start the engine and get a line in the prop. In the end they cut the lines,
retrieved them on the other side of the boat, and will tie them together I
guess. And then everybody ensures you you won't meet anything on your way in
the Pacific and don't have to keep watches; I think we saw some 40 fishing
boats this night alone, and even had to change course in order to avoid
crashing into one! During the day today did not see any boats, so we assume
these fishing boats don't venture out that far from the Galápagos. So all in
all, better we did not sleep much and faithfully did our watchkeeping
routine this first night. We might revise along the way, if indeed we do not
come across a living soul anymore for the next 20 days or so.

Called my dad, who turned 84 years today and is still going strong, and Tim,
Daph's nephew, who turned 7. Much to our surprise our present, Galápagos
T-shirts Daph sent from the Post Office of San Cristóbal some three weeks
ago, indeed arrived in time.