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Starblazer - 13/02/2014 – Southern hemisphere.



We crossed the equator at 1935 local and duly appeased Neptune with a share
of our steak and chips and syrup pudding, champagne and a drip of whisky.
To be honest, we’d finished dinner a bit earlier so Neptune’s very small
share was cold! We had also altered course a little to ensure we crossed
before I went off watch at 2000. Out ETA in Wreck Bay, not an auspicious
name, is about 0930 depending on the current. We are unashamedly
motorsailing because the wind is too weak and still not quite in the right
direction. Our motoring hours are unimportant, except for the cost of
refuelling, because we are not competing on this leg. We will be listed as
DNS (Did Not Start) because we were still anchored in La Playita when the
rally left Contadora in the Las Perlas Islands.

Our earlier than anticipated arrival is due to a review of our course to
Wreck Bay. We missed the leg briefing so received no sailing instructions.
I looked in the Pacific Crossing Guide which recommended approaching from
the south east, leaving the island on the right. We were having so much
difficulty making the required course while maintaining an acceptable speed
and John asked “What about going north?” I looked in World Cruising Routes
which recommended an approach to Wreck Bay from the north. It’s shorter, it
has given us a better angle on the wind so the sails are giving us some
drive and we should arrive in the morning rather than struggling to arrive
before dusk!

We currently have a passenger, a bird is perched on the outboard end of the
portside spinnaker pole which is still rigged ready to use. It is too dark
to be sure but I think it is a variety of sea duck. Earlier on today a bird
made several attempts to land there, keeping its balance only briefly. In
flight it looked like a seabird with largely white under parts, black head
and long greyish wings on their upper surface. When trying to land its
bright orange webbed feet looked a little incongruous! We have also seen a
Tropicbird which circled us about 350 miles from the Galapagos and a
Frigatebird, plus several birds like our passenger. That is about the sum
of our sightings of creatures of sea and sky. No, John still hasn’t caught
a fish. Today’s score: Fish 1 – John 0.
(John) You should have seen the size of the six that got away over the last
three days!

Joyce

Postscript: Our passenger was not the same as the one which briefly landed
yesterday. This one had orange webbed feet in common but was otherwise
completely different. Its beak was a bluish grey, grey head and neck, dark
grey/brown other parts with a fan shaped tail. Unfortunately, just as it
was about to become light enough for a decent photo, he flew away with a
waggle of his tail feathers! Was it a Booby?


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