We are within 100 miles of San Christobal in the Galapagos.

This has been a slow passage. We have averaged less than 4 knots. As expected the winds have been very light, at about 10 knots most of the time and almost exactly from where we want to go. The wind speed and direction have hardly changed in 7 days. In addition to the wind the current, which was strongly in our favour to start the trip, has been about 1 knot against us for the last few days. The result has been we have been achieving a speed over the ground of about 3.5 knots and mostly 25 degrees off course.

We used the engine for 6 hours yesterday evening and will probably need to again today if we are to arrive in daylight tomorrow. We are, of course, only able to carry fuel for about 60 hours motoring so we use the engine sparingly. In any case it is wearing with the constant noise and it makes the aft cabin, where we sleep at sea, very hot.

The Humboldt current that we are experiencing comes up from Peru to the south bringing cold water with it and the temperature became noticeably cooler about 4 days ago. The temperature at night fell to only about 82º F. I almost had to put my trousers on! We have been told that it is an El Nino year but if it is the effect is a weak one as this current is supposed to stop flowing in an extreme event.

The current brings with it nutrient rich water which is one of the reasons the Galapagos has so much wildlife. However, despite having our fishing line out from dawn until dusk we have failed to catch a single fish in the Pacific although we did have one lure with its end bitten off. We hope for better things when we do the Trade wind crossing to the Marquesas as we could do with the fresh food. Our supplies that we bought in Panama have lasted well on the whole except for 2 melons that converted themselves to pulp and a few bananas that experienced more than a little bruising from my foot (squashed flat).

We shall cross the line before we reach Galapagos, and are undecided how to celebrate. It is traditional for the skipper to dress up as Neptune and demand some form of humiliation. I was threatening to shave off my hair ...but Lorraine says that that is my best bit...which doesn't say much for the other bits! I shall probably just have to dress up in women's clothes ..goodie!

Dawn has broken while I have been writing this but there is nothing to see. We saw one ship and one yacht at the start of the passage, but nothing for a week. The ocean is a very empty place and I am pleased to say we have left the detritus of civilisation well behind us in the Bay of Panama, I have never seen so much rubbish floating anywhere else.

A couple of flying fish had thrown themselves aboard in the night so one of them is now astride a hook at the end of today's fishing line. There are supposed to be myriads of fish when nearing the Galapagos – well we're not that far off now. We just hope that the Galapagos live up to their reputation. Apparently the anchorage we are heading for is inhabited by sea lions who will haul out on the stern scoop of your boat or will board your dinghy if you leave it in the water and refuse to budge.

We shall see.