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Ayama - Leaving Las Perlas for Galapagos



Wednesday We returned to Contadora to prepare for setting off on Friday. We picked up a mooring just beside a small sunken motorboat. Getting ashore in the dinghy was a challenge as there was a swell; we managed to land but didn’t get the dinghy up the beach quick enough so shipped a wave of water. There is no point going ashore in anything but swimming shorts. Leaving is even more tricky as it has to be a quick getaway , keep the dinghy straight and get the engine started before the next big wave soaks everything and sends you back to the beach or even capsizes you.

Per and I had a snorkel around the wreck and then swam over to the rocks. There were some colourful fish and a few stingrays. We had a walk around the island which has plenty of smart houses on it, unlike the deserted islands we had visited further south. We did see a few animals that looked like a cross between a huge guinea pig and a rabbit..so far unidentified.

We had a bar-b-q on the beach with everybody and then there was the dinghy departure entertainment in the dark, after a few drinks!. Some people were really brave and had expensive camera equipment and laptops with them.

Friday There was a general air of anticipation as dinghies were hauled on board and last minute jobs were done before the 11 am start. Wayward Wind picked up something in here prop so Victor had to do a quick dive. We think it might have been a floating line from the wreck. Stefan had dived down, cut off a fender and attached it to the lines but they maybe hadn’t seen it.

The start of the race looked impressive as there was wind. Ayama sailed with the genoa out and then we set the spinnaker poles and have been sailing downwind wing on wing. We were all expecting calm seas but it was a very bumpy night, big seas and winds gusting up to 36 knots. Night shifts are a bit lonely on moonless nights with big waves surging behind, every now and then one breaks over the boat. Per had 2 big ships close together on his shift and had to hand steer between them. I just had 1 that cut across in front of Ayama. Everything is tiring in these seas and we’ve all acquired bruises; you have to hang on or wedge yourself just to go to the loo or clean teeth . Per and I had to sleep (at least try to) across our bunk in the bow otherwise we were airborne or rolled from one side to the other. Ayama broke another record, 186 miles in 24 hours, helped by a 1 ½ knot current.

Some boats have had good sightings of whales, I just had a glimpse. We,ve seen a couple of turtles and rays. One ray did an impressive somersault just beside Ayama and the turtles just float past staring at us. Poor Stefan is getting frustrated with his radio, we can hear the other yachts but they can’t hear us. Yesterday morning we had a stowaway on the antenna, a 8 inch grasshopper or locust. After a photographic shoot Stefan had to launch it as the regulations for the Galapagos are really strict.

I have just done the 21-24 and 6-9 shifts. The sea had calmed, the winds dropped to 6-10 knots so they were really enjoyable watches. We have now lost the wind so reluctantly having to motor.

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