After a week in the Galapagos spent taking in the sights and sounds of Darwin's wonderland, it was with a sense of excitement, relief or trepidation depending on which crew was asked, that Questionable Logic slipped from its chains and sailed for new horizons. We are 6 on board, 5 English and an American. 24 hours previously we were 5 but during a drink at the last chance saloon, a chance encounter with Paul, a congenial bloke from Norfolk, saw an invite extended to him to join the passage to the Marquesas, which he duly accepted.

At 2.30pm on the 13^th we were off, adios to islands that had treated us well, and stocked up with hopefully sufficient provisions and water to last us until the next landfall. Up came the  sails and off went the engine and within half an hour we were slipping through the water, trying to adjust to the wide open space that will be our vista for the next 3 weeks. A turtle passed us by almost immediately close by on the port side, a local bidding us a final bon voyage. Soon after the fishing line began whirring, a strike at last! Confirmation the lures do work! But excitement quickly gave way to disbelief – the 2 foot tuna which had taken the bait was to be dinner not for us, but for an unseen predator. On reeling it in, we were left with a tuna head, minus body. Close to landing a decent fish, but once again not close enough. Knocking on the door though, our time will come.

Watches were organised and the crew settled into the languorous rhythm of the swell. Conditions were good – slight seas, 10 knots of wind forward of the beam and a beautiful pink-streaked sunset on the starboard side over Isabela, the largest of the Galapagos islands. The stars came out, a waning moon rose and the routine of life for the passage began.

Soon after daybreak a breaching whale caught the eye some distance off the bow, and on closer inspection those crew who were awake were mesmerised by the sight of two sperm whales with a calf, a stone's throw from the port side (we had to bear away to avoid them). At least two others were in the vicinity, slightly further away. Later we came across several sealions, miles from land, but happy to float with their flippers pointing at the sky as we sailed past.