02:06N 84:20W

 

We seemed to spend most of yesterday afternoon scanning the horizon with binoculars looking for wind or having cold showers on deck.  We’re very close to the equator now and it was no fun being stuck in the hot, steamy and still doldrums – but luckily it wasn’t for long.  About 4pm we started to get puffs of wind and optimistically put the mainsail up, followed shortly by the headsail and turned the engine off.   Soon we were moving along under sail in very light winds.  They gradually increased and by nightfall we were enjoying some of our best sailing ever – 10-12knots of wind in flat seas giving us 5-6knots of boatspeed.  It was wonderful to be sailing again and a very easy nightwatch with such magical conditions under starry skies with flat seas.

 

The wind died a little just after dawn but has returned.  It’s coming from the south east so it is perfect, no complaints – we’re still on our rhumb line and the Galapagos is looming.

 

The fleet of Australian catamarans is doing slightly better than us – most elected to take a different route and it’s proved worthwhile.  We opted to get our southing in early but did sail into a hole whereas they took a gamble on current and stayed west.  Sailing is a fickly thing!

 

Life is good at sea.  We’ve just had our morning espresso, perfectly brewed by the skipper and accompanied by freshly made banana, strawberry and apple muffins.