Galapagos - Marquesas - Day 0
CuriousOyster
Steve & Trish Brown
Thu 18 Feb 2010 18:59
Distance to destination 2995nm
Distance travelled 39.5nm
Distance to run 2879nm
Course 203degrees
Speed over Ground 9.6knots
Wind speed 7knots
Wind Direction SE
With a weather system sitting over the Galapagos bringing light to zero
winds for the last 5 days or so and due to continue for at least another
5days, we took the decision to motor south to pick up the trade winds that
seem to have been pretty constant below 4 degrees south.
Our time in the Galapagos Islands has been far to brief, the geology and
wildlife amazing and the people warm and friendly. We leave with lasting
memories encapsulated by the first 3 hours of today.....Coming up on deck at
6.00am to prepare the boat for departure with no wind a dead calm, all
around the boat the sea was teeming with fish, a young Sea Lion fishing for
its breakfast a few feet off our starboard side, seemingly catching a fair
sized fish with each dive. On our stern one of the many Galapagos Penguins
darting about catching smaller fish and on the port side the Blue footed
Boobies diving for the share of the bonanza.
As we left the anchorage and motored out into deeper water we again
disturbed large Giant Manta Rays basking on the surface, each startled by
our appearance. One huge specimen at least 12 to 15 feet across literally
brushed the side of the boat with a wing tip before it too folded its wings
and disappeared into the deep.
Now we are motor sailing at over 9.5 knots in light winds but making the
most of the outgoing tide and fast flowing current.
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