28 June to 3 July

Hi All,

It's been a little while since I sent a progress report so here is a
slightly longer one.



28/6/2012

Position 14:00 UTC -4 02°09.0950N 083°23.0250W

Continuing to fight current and light head winds

29/6/2012

Position 14:00 UTC -4 00°57.8510N 084°32.6100W

At 10:30 set course for Galapagos. Now that we were on beat (for cat
otherwise a close reach) our speed increased very nicely. What a pleasure to
be actually sailing.

30/6/2012

Position 14:00 UTC -4 00°24.9740N 086°54.2220W

Good fast sailing with genny and No 2 reef. But going to fast or not fast
enough for a daylight arrival, so slowing down. This proving more difficult
as we now have current with us.

1/7/2012

Position 14:00 UTC-4 00°13.1700S 088°52.1100W

Crossed the equator at 06:28 at 088 11.642W. Gauging speed to make a
daylight arrival.

2/7/2012

In Porto Ayora, Galapagos

Woke to cloudy drizzling weather with no sign of the mountain on Isla Santa
Cruz (850m). Arrived in Academy Bay at 10:30 (only 08:30 local time) after
managing to keep our speed down so that we would not arrive in the dark.
Anchored off the town of Porto Ayora just in front of a South African cat,
African Star, from Durban and next to a 54 Sun Odyssey being delivered to Oz
by a pom Stephen What a pleasure to be sailing a boat that can beat I am
jealous. The African Star couple, Alistair and Sue, are running the boat for
doctor who flies out every now and then to enjoy his boat with his
girlfriends. They recommended an agent as it is very difficult to get
through the officialdom without being able to speak Spanish. So we met
Santiago who sheparded us through. We had come ashore with the South African
couple to meet Santiago, In the meantime a Port Officer had gone out to the
boat so we had to hot foot it back, but with the agent. A very congenial
officer it was and the paper work was soon done. The back to shore to
organize fuel and pay.

With all the official stuff out the way Rob and I went back to the boat to
sort out the fuel transfer pumps and change the oil on the port motor. The
fuel arrived at 16:00, but when he saw that we wanted cans filled he took
the can away to fill and returned with 200lt of the 450lt we had ordered,
but not to worry another taxi boat pitched up and transferred the remaining
fuel into our cans. We eventually got all our fuel but with quite a bit
spilt on the cockpit floor. We will clean up tomorrow. Time to go to town
for supper.

3/7/2012

In Porto Ayora, Galapagos

Rob booked himself a tour with one of the many diving tours, so he was up
early to take a taxi to shore. The rest of us cleared up the mess from last
night and then caught a taxi to town. I went off in search of fuel filters,
without too much hope, but the second establishment I was directed to
provided the goods. I had taken a taxi (US$1) to the first and walked the
rest. Interesting walking the back streets of Porto Ayora and it proved to
be not that far.

Back on the boat George and I tried to drop the genny for repairs to the UV
strip. It was jammed. A screw had come out of the top swivel allowing it to
turn on the foil with the result the halyard was wrapped around the forestay
and the genny was going nowhere. Note for Ian: The roller furler needs a
good service the bearings on the top swivel are worn and there is a gap
between the top of the foil and the locking device. Thank goodness we found
this little problem here and not at sea. It was hectic enough up the mast
with small rollers coming in. We have Magivered a locking screw - just hope
it will last.



We are leaving Academy Bay tomorrow first light on the longest leg of the
trip. Here hoping the weather comes up to the Guides dream-like conditions
and we find both wind and current in our favour.

Next stop the Marquesas.



Cheers



Chris