Galapagos - Marquesas - Day 6 - 03 53.82S 106 40.90W

Aurora_b
Mike and Liz Downing
Thu 6 May 2010 01:32
A mixed day - periods of good wind when we started to really move and make around 8kts, but periods of squally conditions where the wind dies as the squalls approach and rapidly increase as they pass. There is normally rain associated with the squalls and we've got wet a few times. To be on the safe side we try to get the mainsail down before they hit us, but keep the genoa up and roll it depending on the strength of wind we find. Some squalls pass over with hardly any increase in wind, but others have generated 26kts or more, almost instantly as though someone had thrown a switch. They all look the same as they approach (low, black clouds across the horizon - real menacing!) so there's no way of telling what you're going to get. We currently have squalls on 3 sides around us!

On the good side, the noon to noon daily run was 167.4 miles and at 16.10 local time this afternoon we clocked up 1,000 miles. So only 2,000 still to go!

Started fishing today, the first time since we left the UK, and, having put the hooks, lure and traces on, we rapidly came to the conclusion that it's easier to go to Sainsburys, having hooked most things on the boat before getting it into the water. Trailed the line for about 5 hours, but nothing. Our plastic pink squid came back on board unscathed, so we'll try again another day.

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