A Quiet Day of Preparation

Date: 26th February 2023 (Day 8).
Location: Approaching the Equator.

Well, one more full day and night and we should be there. Our calculations show us arriving late tomorrow (Monday) but we will slow down to arrive in Wreck Bay, San Cristobal in the Galapagos Islands of Equador in the light, early on Tuesday morning.

Last night the wind was still very light and we ghosted our way along under parasail. But by early morning it was less than three knots and we couldn't continue to sail. Down came the big sail and on went the engine. And its been on ever since.

We've taken the opportunity to begin preparing for our arrival. All non bio cleaning products have been removed. We've eaten all the chia seeds as they are banned in the Galapagos! Dug out the printed notices to be displayed, checked our Covid pack, got Peter, a doctor, to countersign our medical protocol. And the list goes on. But mostly we are anxious about the state of the hull. Now that the SSB is working we can send and receive emails so we have informed our agent. Very little response though. Fingers crossed.

Not much wildlife today. In fact we have been a bit disappointed hy the lack of fauna on the passage in general. The boobies flew off this morning with no damage to the wind indicator.

And the engine drones on. 6 knots at 231 degrees with the islands slowly drawing closer. We are into that final phase of a passage when you know it won't be long before we are thrust back into that other world. Half of you wants to get there, the other half is happy in our own little bubble settled into a nice, contained routine where the sun comes up in the morning and goes down again in the evening.

In other news dinner was pizza, Gill cut my beard and Peter finished his book.

And the engine drones on inexorably leading us SW to cross the equator early tomorrow morning.

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