Position           01:64.10N 086:26.99W

Date                1200 (EDT) Wednesday 12 February 2014

265 nm from destination Puerto Baqeurizo, San Cristobal, Galapagos, 607292nm travelled from Panama

Days distance run - 166 over the ground, 147 through the water

We have had 24 hours of wind broadly speaking blowing form the direction we wish to go and of varying strength from 2 to 13 knots true.  To liven things up there have been numerous passing squalls all of which so far have missed us.  We are tracking them carefully on the radar.  I regret that most of our progress is due to the judicious use of diesel.  We are grateful for a large tank.

For the second night running we have been joined in the dark by a white bird that appears to take station flying alongside the boat at the limit of our vision.  Occasionally it flies forward before drifting back along the other side.  Both the Mate and I have seen it separately so it is not a case of too much sun.  It has a rather ethereal appearance and is always just that little too far into the gloom to make out exactly what it is.  You can well imagine how sailors’ superstitions were generated by such sightings.

We are catching up the rear markers of the Rally fleet and are hearing more stations on the twice daily SSB radio schedule although as ever we seem to be able to hear some boats at 200nm better than those much closer.  One interesting report from a boat further to the east and south of our course was their encounter wih a huge fishing net, reportedly some 50 miles long being patrolled by skiffs and shepherded by a Factory ship.  They had to go round the end of it.  Is this the unacceptable side of fishing to which we all turn a blind eye?