A record run!

Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Thu 28 Mar 2013 21:28
04:02.399N 81:50.921W

Thursday 28th March 2013

Distance run in 24 hours, day 1: 175 nmiles (!)
Distance run in 24 hours, day 2: 148 nmiles
Total distance run: 323 nmiles

Good news from home regarding a stabilised family illness coincided with the opening of a weather window, so on Tuesday afternoon we lifted the anchor and headed out of the anchorage at Isla Bayoneta and set a course for the Galapagos Islands.

The Galapagos have always been one of the places at the top of both our 'must see' lists. We both have a long-held interest in Darwin's theory of evolution, and actually being able to visit the islands where his observations led him to his theory of natural selection and 'survival of the fittest' is an exciting prospect.

So we are actually on our way. With a fair wind and following seas, and a couple of knots of current beneath us, our first day out was the fastest we have ever made on passage, averaging a little over 7 knots. The wind eventually ran out on us yesterday evening, and we motored for six hours until it filled in again, and we have been sailing since.

This passage will take us across the equator into the Southern hemisphere, another first for both of us, and we will be sure to offer Neptune a libation as we cross.

It could possibly also take us into the ITCZ - the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone - formerly known as the Doldrums, but we are keeping our fingers crossed it won't. The last forecast put it due west of the Galapagos, but of course it tends to move around. This is an area of little or no wind, where sailboats of old used to wallow for weeks waiting for wind. We have enough diesel on board to motor for 400+ nmiles if the need arises, but we hope it won't. We've covered 300+ of the 1000 nmiles already and wind is forecast for the next couple of days, so fingers crossed!