***Life on board***
Yesterday afternoon the crew continued to enjoyed calm seas and following winds making good progress south. At around 5pm we spotted dolphins off the port side but they didn't investigate us for long. We also came upon what looked like a black balloon off in the distance which turned out to be a small black flag on the end of a pole stuck into a buoy. Nearby there was also a small white buoy. We are not sure what these could be but our best guess is that they were marking some kind of a net. Dolphins were jumping nearby perhaps warning us to steer clear.
Our newly installed "boat horn" (installed in colon) has been a great moral booster lately. It is a small electric horn mounted under our radar dome which has a push button switch near the wheel. We love honking the horn gleefully for passing boats at anchor but also like to honk just for the fun of it. Most recently, honking the horn has been used to great and hilarious effect to interrupt people before they can speak. For example, Alan says, "Hey Trevor, what is that over there?". Trevor turns and says, "I don.....HONK! HONK!" See? Hilarious!
Last night we all sat down to enjoy MOVIE NIGHT during which we watched Austin Powers. Shortly after, the night watchers hit their bunks and the boat was quiet till morning.
It is now almost 1pm onboard. Trevor is resting. Adam is on watch and Will is trying his best to photograph some birds which have made their way out to sea with us. This just in! A turtle was spotted off the port side. It was swimming next to a big log about 6 feet long. Maybe it is a "LOG"-gerhead turtle. Hey Trevor, put that in the "LOG" book. Haha. All is well with the crew.
***The Boat***
This morning we noticed a small amount of wear on the leech of our #1 headsail no doubt caused by rubbing on the mast. The loose threads appear superficial and we are keeping an eye on it. Repairs are now scheduled for this sail to keep the wear from getting any worse.
Our wind generator is whirring now but we are still very power conscious and have turned off electronics save for the GPS during the day to give the solar panels and wind generator maximum effect to recharge the batteries. Currently our battery monitor says that we are at 79%. With the wind predicted to die off soon, the engine may soon become "the great recharger" allowing us to power whatever we like but until then we must try not to take more than we can make. Other than some pots and pans finding a home on the floor of the cockpit last night, all else is well with our beloved home.
***Communication***
This morning we successfully "checked-in" with both the 'Panama Connection' and the 'Pan-Pacific' ham radio "nets". These nets meet every morning to keep track of vessels underway and to give vessels underway an opportunity to communicate with one another. We reported our destination, position, weather conditions, speed, and heading so that others may plan their own crossing and or keep track of us. We also made a friend this morning who is also underway to the Galapagos just ahead of us. See the Science of Sailing Post "A friendly race to the Galapagos".
***Weather***
We are glad to report that we are still enjoying a north wind which is pushing us south at a healthy average of around 7 knots. Unfortunately, the forecast calls for the wind to die at any time today. Last night we observed some heat lightening way off to our west but the sky above was clear and the moon shone brightly. This morning we have a mostly clear sky and bright sun.
Position:
4 deg 57' North
81 deg 13' West
Over and Out
Alan and Crew