12:09.574N 68:16.957W

Friday 5^th October 2012

Distance run: 398 nmiles

We slipped the lines in Port Louis at midday on Tuesday 2^nd October, and set a course due west for Bonaire, some 400 nautical miles away off the north Venezuelan coast.  With the wind and the current behind us we expected to make good time, and sure enough the first day’s run was a respectable 141 nmiles.  By late evening on the second day, however, the wind had died off and became very variable, so that even when there was just enough to sail by, we couldn’t get into a groove because it kept changing direction.  So the iron topsail was hoisted and we motorsailed, sometimes switching the engine off for short periods when the wind temporarily filled in.

We arrived in Kralendijk around 0830 this morning and called up Rico & Jackson on Apparition who came out in their dinghy to direct us to a buoy and help us tie up.  They then joined us in the cockpit for a cup of tea and a good old chin-wag – we haven’t seen them since Lanzarote, so a lot to catch up on!

Checking in was easy and free, all done in 10 minutes at the Customs house near the North Pier.  Then we went to the marina to pay for the buoy, and back to Scott-Free for a swim in the crystal clear water around the boat followed by a few hours well-earned sleep.