This is one of those rare passages where you arrive with reluctance. At present we are crawling along at 3 knots and enjoying every minute of it. As with most days, we start with tea and position updates, bring down the latest satellite image and grib file (similar to a synoptic map) for our area then make any adjustments necessary to our sail configuration and assess what miles we need to cover in the next 24 hours. Fortunately for us the weather has been kind and there is no pressure to get to our destination. We could have arrived late this afternoon but that would have meant running the engine and why would we disturb the peace, increase heat. The sea here is a thin wash of blue. It seems to have little density. Waves ripple across the surface from north of the equator and a carnival of clouds on the horizon keep us entertained with their lazy morphing. Paul has the crosswords out and we work through the lattice of words as Icehouse, or Nick Cave, or Radio Head or some other tune plays out across the ocean.
We have the rod out today but no fish so far. A yellow fin tuna would be nice, but a smaller one. Paul still has a bruise on his groin from bringing in the 15kg Mahi Mahi we caught on the 2nd day and the freezer is pretty full. There have been regular changes on our depth instrument which suggests fish so maybe one will hook itself at dusk.
We will cross the equator around 5.30pm and have our gifts for Neptune ready - a basket woven from seaweed by a NZ artist and which is probably better in the sea than on the boat since seaweed never gives up its odour. The other is from Vanuatu. A mobile woven from pandanus by a young girl on Gaua island. These and a dram of vodka should keep him happy for our last 80 miles.
The Clouds below look like Monsters at a concert.