02:36.425 S

097:00.535 W

Distances are creeping up slowly and we now have travelled 460 miles in the three and three quarter days since leaving San Cristobal island in the Galapagos.  Sadly we have motored, or motor-sailed, almost all of it, travelling at around 5.2kts directly into a light 2-4 kt wind.

Yesterday afternoon we had a little flurry of wind (10-12kts on the starboard beam) and put up our screacher (our yellow and white asymmetric spinnaker) for a blissful hour of sound-free sailing.  Then it was all over and back came the engine.

When it comes, the wind is due to arrive from the south, but we fear we have another three days before we can become sailors again.  In the meantime, Robert is choosing another sunny day (25% cloud cover) to do his washing.

We are completely alone out here – not a speck of anything anywhere on the horizon, and even the sea birds seem to have given up on us.  For the previous two nights we had the company of a big white sea-bird flying beside us on our starboard side.  It kept us company all night – arriving during our supper on the aft deck, and leaving at dawn.  Despite offers of food and a safe landing place on board, it continued to fly alongside us, almost in touching distance.  Last night our lovely white sea-bird failed to appear – perhaps it literally ran out of air-miles.

Life on board is surprisingly busy – mending things, cleaning things, catching up on sleep, checking for and replying to (the occasional) email, Andy baking bread, de-frosting the deep freeze, Pippa putting together the blog, or preparing fruit for our midday smoothie (ie seeking out whichever papaya or bananas have least life left in them and paring away the ‘over-ripe’ bits, ie the bits which have a life of their own).

Fishing, and planning his fishing tactics, take up a lot of Max’s time.  Having hugely enjoyed our mahi mahi supper on Wednesday night, we are now re-directing our fishing efforts from tuna (deep freeze has several day’s worth awaiting us) to mahi mahi. Tactics include a different Max-made lure and changing fishing time to the middle of the day.  Thanks to Jolyon for his excellent present – the Cruiser’s Handbook of Fishing – and the fishing rod he gave to Tom.

2,540 miles to go to the Marquesas!