01’15.7S 082’10.2W // course 295′ // speed 6,9
My apologies for the silence, this always happens when we drop our anchor or cast out our lines. No more regular night watch to keep the rhythm and so many obligations during the day, it is hard to keep up with the logbook entries.. but I have written that before.. so no excuses.
We entered the bay of Salinas just after midnight on Thursday morning. Found an anchorage, found we needed to be somewhere else, so picked up the anchor early the next morning and went over to a small marina, Puerto Lucia, and anchored out front. Authorities were there bright and early to get our paperwork in order and around 09:30 we were starting to look at a place to land the dinghy. In the yacht harbour, they were willing to let us use their dock for the dinghy for a mere $238 per day. We declined and found a perfect lancha landing – just follow the locals, that worked out pretty well!
While our guests started reconnaissance on land, the crew was on board working hard to get cleaned up, get organized and get some maintenance done! We changed over to our old forestaysail and our old mizzen for the lighter weather parts and stowed away the old ones. We gave the wooden boxes another layer of varnish, some of us may have left a footprint, here and there, but then sanded and varnished again.
On Friday we had divers who came to clean the hull, otherwise no entry into the Galapagos and on Saturday we had fumigation. With fumigation on board, and no way to be inside and work or do anything on board for a few hours, this was an ideal day for a day off. So off went the heroes, into Salinas. Small shopping list with eco dishwashing liquid and blue bin-liners and some fresh vegetables, and off they went. A caipirinha or two may have been part of the deal.
During the days at anchor we enjoyed a few swims, we had amazing sunsets and a BBQ evening on deck. We only went into the small harbour to load diesel at 2 minutes per 100 litres… needing a few thousand.. and then back at anchor again.
We all seemed to prefer it there a little away from the buzzing life on shore. So many people all of a sudden. So many smells, impressions and sounds. After being at sea for a prolonged period, the crew described it as an overload and they were happy to wash it off with a swim when back on board. When you have been out at sea for such a long time, you start to take the quiet and tranquil for granted. You forget what ease there is in watch systems and how amazing the sailing is you are doing, as we were.
Saturday was fumigation, a team of three came on board, locked and loaded and did three rounds through the ship, leaving behind a milky substance in all nooks and crannies, some bait for rats or mice, to prove we have none and then the big machine was turned on. The real smoke / fumigation. The thing sounded like it came from a different era and I was not sure whether the smoke was from the combustion engine on it or the stuff to kill bugs.. but as they went downstairs the mood went serious and the masks came on. Closing all hatches, doors, ventilation etc, we were not allowed downstairs for at least 2 hours and then open the doors and let it air out for at least a few more! When we opened the doors, it looked like the ship was used for a fire drill with smoke, you could hardly see anything.
Sandrine and I were the only ones left on board and realized we could not finish cleaning off the product from all surfaces before midnight, without help.. and so our troops we asked to come back around 17h so we could finish the job together! At 19:30 we were done! All beds freshly made, all surfaces cleaned, pots and pans and all galley utensils washed, floors washed, etc etc.
We had set the next morning for our departure, which was a little delayed due to last preparations and finding a big tear in the old mizzen that needed some tender love and care before being used. But maybe also because we had a pancake breakfast that was just too good to be true!
And now? Now we are underway again. We took a pelican with us on the mizzen, two boobies soon found us and perched themselves on the main peak halyard and on the jibboom we have a swallow-tailed gull riding with us to the Galapagos, where they breed.
Sunset was unbelievable, engine off, soft orange light diffusing into blues and greens. We have been sailing with the lightest breeze and the smallest bit of effort. Doing 6,6 knots with 10 knots of wind. Around 22:00 we lost the wind a little till 01:00, but it’s back now and we are making the most of it.
All is well on board,
Jet
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