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Luna Quest - Friday 13.2.15



Noon Position: 8.30N 79.06W

Daily run: Set off an hour ago from Contadora

Destination: Isla San Christobel in the Galapagos Islands

Our stay in the anchorage was a relaxing experience. We put our new canopy up (that we had made in St Lucia and stretches from the gantry, where the solar panels are affixed, to the mast) to keep the sun off the main part of the boat, but allowing the breeze to cool it and us. A pleasant temperature was had inside the boat. The water around the boat was as clear as a bell and at 8 meters down I could see the anchor lying in the white sand. I took the opportunity to snorkel around the boat, cleaning it so that we could present to the Galapagos authorities a pristine boat. Reports had it that a boat found to have one barnacle was taken 70 miles away to have it taken off by divers. Only then was it allowed to return. In Shelter Bay Marina (Atlantic side of Panama) I had the boat pressure washed, but, nevertheless, I found several small shells and a little marine growth settled on the anti-foul. Luna Quest certainly runs well when she is clean underneath.

The surf on the beach of Contadora belied the relative shelter of the anchorage. Large rollers crashed onto the beach and it takes quite a bit of skilled timing to beach the dinghy. However, launching it from the beach requires a great deal more and having searched for a spot where the surf seemed most benign, we braved it and hoped for the best, but just at that moment a wave bigger than any before made the dinghy rear, throwing Julia into the sea and delivering a sandy brine into it. I had not yet gone into it, but had a good soaking nevertheless. Luckily, Julia was unhurt and she laughed off the discomfort, but our concern quickly turned to Julia’s Mac that could have been wetted although packed into its Apple case. Back on board, however, we found the computer unharmed. Phew….! Exactly the same happened to us again last night after the beach BBQ and prize giving, but we were prepared: the computer case was wrapped up in plastic and although not thrown out of the dinghy, we both received a fair dose of brine.

Eric


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