Last night spent the night back at Isla Contadora and had dinner ashore at the Restuarant Romantica, which was fine a lovely setting a bit kitch good steaks, but desperately slow service.  We went ashore in the afternoon to see if the shop had any fresh fruit and salads but none available, the next shipment was due in at 10am the next morning, but J. wants to get going at 6am so will have to do without lettace, spring onions, and cucumber there is plenty of white cabbage and carrots to make a coleslauw.

Now on our way to the Galapagos.  The day started badly... all because a certain crew member mentioned the long eared hopper.  1st) I couln't find the recipe I had stowed away for making bread, using olive oil. 2nd) I found it and half way through making it the bottom of the tall salt holder fell off so salt went everywhere, behind the oven, into its slot where I keep it, over the work surface and on to the sole of the galley. 3rd)  Meanwhile one of Jonathan's fishing lines ran but soudlessly, as the rachet was not on, it broke the rod holder (again!) and took the line and his lure, fortunately the rod was tied on. This was all at 6am this morning.  4th) having kneaded, and followed the recipe to the T the wretched dhoe has not risen!  The yeast was good as well.  I will give it one more try otherwise the duty of bread making will have to be taken over by someone else..... the first time I ever made bread in HK I gave a loaf to my neighbour who promptly varnished it and used it as door stop! such is the success of my breadmaking.  Post lunch and we are now sailing along at about 8.5 knots with the Asymetric up all is calm and perfect.  We had a huge pod of Dolphins playing off our starboard this morning, having a great time twisting and turning, we also caught a small Jack on the other line.

I will try to get Allan to cut down on his poetic descriptions, he is such a frustrated author and had been reading far too much poetry whilst on board I'm sure it is going to his head!  Maybe he should have been an English teacher instead of a maritime lawyer.

We are just going through a phenomenon, similar to a tidal rip, our speed has suddenly picked up, the electronic chart is showing a very strong current pulling to port, like small rapids in the middle of the sea, then it goes smooth again before the next set of rapids ahead.  Nobody knows what causes it but can be quite desturbing at night as it shows up as land on the radar!

Dophins playing again, must go and help J as everybody else is asleep.