Still motoring along...

Wednesday 27th February

We are just motoring along on the flattest sea I have seen in years. There is no wind to stir any waves and the long swell is minimal and very regular.The 6 o'clock log entry reads:

Position: 01 18,1S
087 10.2W
about 190 miles east of Puerto Ayora.
Course is 279 True.
Boat log reads 9464 miles
Daire on watch
speed SOG 5.3kts
Current 1.5 kts east going
wind force 0, westerly
Sea state flat calm
0/8 cloud cover
temp. in saloon 29
main & engine providing power.
and that's it.

The highlight of the day was being passed by "Just do it". He was travelling the same course about 1 knot faster than us.

The boat that turned back with a leak has been lifted out in La Libertad and is being worked on and should join us again before the next leg. They got caught up in a line or net and damaged the keel which caused a water leak. There are no repair facilities in the Galapagos at all, thus the turn around.

I reduced engine speed yesterday and, when we refilled today, the consumption had dropped from 6.2 ltrs/hour to 4.25, and that means we should have enough fuel to reach land. Yesterday there was an appeal to the fleet to help out a non WARC Italian boat that was out of diesel near the islands. One boat went over but couldn't transfer any fuel, so another boat, an Aussie, went as well and transferred a load from a fuel bladder they carry on deck.

Marcel is cooking up a Carbonara tonight, to follw Daire's Spanish Omlette for lunch. Daire also has a line out the back to land tomorrows dinner. you never know.

Mum took the 3 ropes that we had put into a large bin with soap powder and rinsed them. I then trailed them in the sea to rinse all the soap out. They are stained but no longer covered with crude oil. There are 3 more getting the treatment at the moment. That oil was really disgusting. I cannot imagine what the big tanker spills like Exxon Valdez are like.