We have now been underway in seven days or is it six days or…We have stopped counting and the miles just tick away under North Stars keel. We have sailed 1000 nm today and that is merely one third of the nearly 3000 nm this crossing over the great Pacific is.
The weather have so far been with us. One day of rain to clean the salt of the boat and us, but else sunshine and a very nice wind from between 95 to 145. For the non-sailors that means wind from East to South East and as we sail a course of 252 degree, nearly due West, it is wonderful and comfortable sailing.
We expect a bit more wind than the 12-13 knots we have seen recently over the next few days, but nothing which is not welcome, so far so very good.
The crew have found into the watch schedule. As we are four onboard this time we only have 2 watches of three hours, every 24 hours – so it is very easy and much easier than when we sail double handed.
The kitchen is open 24 hours a day, as we sleep on different times, but standing ovation comes from Emil and I to Marie and Laura for Carrot cake, freshly baked scones, chicken in curry, Mahi Mahi in sesame and so on. We live really well as the conditions mostly allow for these creations. We have afternoon tea every day at 1600 local and normally dinner together with the setting sun and maybe watch some dolphins, who makes everything even more beautiful.
Emil is a keen fisher and have caught several fish, but only one made the dinner table. A very nice Mahi Mahi fresh out of the water and enough for 4 people for two dinners. We still have fruit and vegetables as Marie bought plenty and have made preservation of these outside a refrigerator, into an art. But now the whole stock of bananas and the papayas and many more start to ripe and we eat – as we know the last ten days, we will have to escape down into the tin cans.
We talk about what we do. It seems that the time just roll on. Of course we read, play games and sail the boat and somehow the days just glide away and we sail through the moonlit nights into the next day. So no, we are not restless or feel it is long trip. The experience in itself is fantastic, because how many times in your life do you spend 20 days or more together with your self and three other people on little space and with little privacy? You cannot escape and the entertainment is only of your own creation. You are depending on these other people, the weather and the boat. No correct, not very often will anyone of us be exposed to this. So it also great just to be in it and live it.
North Star is behaving really well and tracking along with mostly 7-8 knots and we are not spending much time in the engine room as the engine have only been running the first three hours out of Galapagos. Unusual, as the first 2-3 days down to the trade winds at 04S, are normally becalmed – but we had wonderful sailing.
This is it from North Star at 05 deg 46’030S and 106 deg 33’775W
Enjoy your Sunday