Galapagos - Marquesas - Day 1

CuriousOyster
Steve & Trish Brown
Fri 19 Feb 2010 18:20
04:34.18S 093:32.27W
Time 18.00UT
Distance to destination 2995nm
Distance travelled 272nm
Distance to run 2712nm
Course 220degrees
Speed over Ground 9.2knots
Wind speed 10knots
Wind Direction SE

We have had an excellent first 24 hours run covering over 225 miles motor
sailing in light airs but maximising the strong SW going current. We are
continuing to motor sail, probably for another 3 hours by which time we
should have run into the more stable winds from the SE that are predicted
from about 5 degrees south. Our aim is then to turn WSW until about 6
degrees south and then almost due west to make the most of the southerly
winds before they turn into the east. This should give us a better wind
angle for the final run into the Marquesas.
WE have quickly settled into the 3 hourly watch system and the fist night
had a sliver of new moon and fairly clear skies. When I went below for a few
hours sleep at 8.00pm local time. Orion shone brightly overhead and when I
came back on deck at midnight it was almost out on the westerly horizon and
would quickly disappear altogether. Apart from a few shooting stars there
was little to be seen, no ships and few birds. We did see a pod of Whales
around mid afternoon yesterday cruising due south and about 300meters of our
starboard beam.
All is well on board, our SSB is working well and we can keep in touch with
home via e mail on the SSB and the Iridium satphone. We are also able to
download weather from our absent crew mate Adrian who is acting as our
weather router and via the SSB.



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