Day 18 - Very light winds,

Clarabella
Gerard Coulson
Sun 10 Jun 2007 21:44
Date: 10 June 2007, 1200 local time (GMT -8)
Position: 08:31.6S 129:36.1W
Day's run: 116nm
Course: 266
Distance to run: 549nm

Our slowest day's run so far; light winds yesterday saw us sailing thro' the water at about 5 knots, but the counter-current stayed with us until this morning, an slowed our speed over ground to about 4 to 4.5 knots, very frustrating!

Today, at 0600, the wind dropped yet further and we are running under crusing chute only at about 4.5 knots over the ground, at least we have a very slight current in our favour! The end is looking further and further away...

It is now very hot indeed, and in the sun it is unbearable. Down below we sweat, with fans running. In the cockpit we have our sun-shade up all day and the breeze makes it more pleasant. The sea temperature has risen to 28C, a rise of over 6C since leaving the Galapagos. In the Marquesas we won't be able to swim as sharks are plentiful!