**Sorry no log for the Galaps – will get it finished and posted on tomorrow!
Sunday 9.03.08
We prepare for the big crossing! Ronnie is recovering from a bad bout of the scoor but manages to come ashore for t-shirts and scoor medicine. Annie and he venture off in the boat taxi for last minute supplies and to collect the gas. Ian and Stewy stay aboard to rig the boat. We get the gas and t-shirts but not much else. There’s been a bit of a local food supply crisis going on on the island, we think due to the flooding on the mainland, and some local people have been protesting . There’s no ice to be found . We meet a taxi driver who finds us some eggs and promises to come back with more in an hour’s time. I give the first lot to our Swediish friends on Strega who are also looking for eggs but then the taxi man doesn’t turn up so we’re in trouble when we get back to the boat empty handed!
We set sail with the fleet at 12 as planned – not as good a start as we had when Gordon was here of course – but much quieter! It’s a great sight watching all the boats setting off together, 2 flares and we’re off! Forecast is for light airs,wind from the south west, and we’re heading for Isla Isabella. Ian helms and concentrates hard – are we really going to race this hard for the next few weeks?! For the first few hours boat speed is 4.5-6 knots and we are the windward boat in the fleet. Many of the larger boats appear to be using engine power to clear Isabella. We head for the channel between Tortuga Island and Burra rock, 1.5 knots of tide with us. While Ronnie on the helm he sees something in the sea ahead and has to alter course to avoid 2 turtles mating – although they’re usually quite shy in this part of the world we don’t seem to disturb their activities at all as we sail right past them – 2 metres from the boat! We continue on our journey – Strega is nearby tracking us and appears to motor off to windward. We struggle on to 8.30pm when boat speed drops to 2 knots ,the wind veers onto our nose and we get the engine on to motor round Tortuga Island. The wind then veers round to the west and after 2 hours it’s back to SW and we switch the engine off and sail again. It’s squally and wet for a while and the sails need constantly adjusted. Later we free off and maintain a course of 210’-215’. It’s a dark but starry night with squalls. A Nazca booby flys with us most of the night , and we can still see a few boats scattered around. On the dawn watch Stewy and Ian see the most spectacular dolphin display yet – they estimate at least 200-300 dolphins moving together across the ocean , leaping and jumping right out the water. They seem to be feeding and there are many birds accompanying them.Stewy manages to catch some of this on video. We continue our journey , wind settling into the S/SE, averaging 8-9 knots.
Monday 10.03.08 , 12.00hrs, distance in 24 hrs – 160 miles
We have a late brunch- we’re all settling down to our new watch system – 3hrs on, 6 off, overlaps on each shift of ¾ hour each side, 1.5 hours alone. Most of the afternoon we’re doing 8-9 knots, course 223’ , almost on a broad reach now, still heading south west. Mrs Haggarty emails us to tell us we need to go further south for wind. About 4pm disaster strikes; we hook a fish, the line is smoking… - the brakes are applied to the line but the rod , reel, line ( and very nearly Ronnie) are launched into the sea! The lovely new rod holder we bought at the boat show with much anticipation is now a flag pole and up for sale! We’re now reduced to a hand line – and a new lure as our lovely Skippy lure has gone forever. Corn beef hash, here we come!
The wind drops around sunset and we sail throughout the night at about 5-6 knots. Soup with beans for dinner – a few complaints re this but the hunter gatherers will have to get a fish in the freezer before they can expect to see a steak – we’re out here for a long time!
Our night watches are easy and uneventful until 3am when Stewy hears a squeal from the fore-cabin- he doesn’t know whether it’s a cry or a laugh.. Annie & Ian have been rudely wakened by a loud thump above them, then there’s something flapping about in the bed!!... both come charging out roaring with laughter – it’s a flying fish who somehow got under the dingy and through the hatch– don’t know who got the biggest fright !! Amid all this hysteria, Ian manages to retrieve our visitor and throw it back into the sea. There are fish scales all over the sheets, cleaned off by Annie first thing in the morning. We also find 2 wee squid who have have landed on the deck but unfortunately it’s too late to save them.
In the morning the wind swings more to the east, we’re on a broad reach doing 6 knots heading SW to try and pick up the trade winds. Ronnie gets busy with a few maintenance jobs ie, re-gassing the fridge and the freezer and topping up the battery fluid. We see lots more flying fish but not much else. Lovely gentle sailing although skipper a bit frustrated with our speed….. (as well as that superb Rugby result at the weekend!!! Tee hee hee!).
Position at 12.00hrs S03.36, W94.57 , distance in 24 hours – 167 miles.
OH, Oh got to go – Ian threatening to put the spinnaker up!!!!!!......