The smoke brought visibility down to a mile or less. Then, about 20 miles offshore, forest birds started to arrive. Scared out by the smoke and now lost at sea in it. And hawks followed. The little swifts wanted to go inside the boat to hide from the hawks. But even little birds can make a big mess, especially if frightened.

But a lovely story from my friends on Tulu. Swift 1; Hawk nil! The hawk swoped down, caught the swift in its talons, turned and flew straight onto the wind generator. It died instantly and the little swift flew off as if nothing had happened.

Heavy rain with thunder and lightening followed. A welcome reprieve as it helped clear the smoke and started the process of putting out the fires. But lightening is always dangerous. Moving about the cockpit I got a shock off a stainless steel rail. Damage can be done to the entire electrical system with a build up of static.

I arrive in Penuba and anchor in strong current. 2.3 knots. Luckily I am in the cockpit when the anchor breaks out. It did not drag. It broke out and I am suddenly going backwards at 2.3 knots towards a house on stilts. Recovering 65 metres of chain on your own in these conditions without hitting other boats, the beach (or, indeed houses on stilts) is challenging. But I managed it. Anchoring is 99% skill, 1% luck. This anchor has never let me down, including Hurricane Irene. I had just unluckily found a bad bit of bottom. I re-anchored - coming back on deck for each tide change to watch over things. Tides are complicated here - up to 6 a day.

Torrential rain fills my water tanks. A noisey boat gets me some diesel which is in short supply as we have all motored so much due to the lack of wind.

 

Rugby World Cup final tonight then off to the Equator tomorrow for an Equator Party. It will be Wild Fox's fourth time to cross the Equator...