2 degrees 1' South, 093 degrees 50' West

 

Well, we are on the move again. On Saturday morning we set sail leaving the wonders of Galapagos behind of us and we are now heading westwards across what is, if you look at your old school atlas a very big bit of blue. With a bit of luck most of this trip should be spent under the benign influence of the SE trades winds but sadly they are, as yet, proving rather illusive. As a result we have spent the last three days squeezing what we can out of the little wind we have been able to find. We have had to motor some of the time but with the next fuel stop some 3000 miles ahead it is rather important not to use all the diesel up in the first week. Apparently a weather system right down in the Gambier Islands 2500 miles from here is disrupting the usual pattern and has pinched all our wind, so we may have to put up with this for a few days yet.

 

As I am writing this Lucy is having her morning snooze after doing the last night watch. We have got our big colourful cruising chute up (similar to a spinnaker) which is just holding the breeze and I have both my fishing lines out in anticipation of fish for supper. It is calm enough for me to be typing this in the cockpit and reflecting on the marvels of modern communication. The last Island we passed while leaving the Galapagos was Santa Maria, where 19th century whalers would leave their letters wrapped in waxed sailcloth in a barrel in the hope that some homeward bound ship would carry them back to Europe or New England. Today, with a bit of luck this will be posted onto the internet within a matter of minutes.