Las Perlas, Panama to Galapagos was my first real test in long passages and so I listened to chit chat between sailors mainly relaying info from there SSB nets from boats doing the passage in the week or so prior to our departure.

The strategy seemed to be....get enough wind that you can sail for two days from Panama taking a more southern route passing Isla Malpelo to your port. When the wind runs out take the 1.5 knot Panama Current (south) and then the Humbolt Current (west)....motor or drift the rest of the way while seeing amazing wildlife and catching a freezer full of fish (my simplified version).
Easy. To my surprise I choose a weather window which seemed to instil in another 6 boats at anchor that I was onto something. It now appears that everyone was leaving. I had been watching the weather for the previous week and it seemed that two days of wind come along quite rarely. The wind was there but my choice to up anchor 4pm on the 9th of March was more because I had just dropped Jules off and so needed a distraction.

Sandgroper blasted out, Men at Work's "Downunder" and Moana Roa blew their Conch as I upped anchor with my brand new crew, Birthe (German) and Jeff (USA). Remi DE, Outsider, Southern Cross, Bandit and Shakti all waved as we quite impressively (I think) unfurled not one, but two head sails, wing on wing and sailed off without a tangled line or luffing sail.

The saying "wishing you fair winds and following seas" couldn't have rung more true. I had plotted a Rhumb line (straight line between our departure point and destination 850nm away). This line had a slight dog leg around Punta Mala, the only part of Panama that could get in my way. Within an hour of sailing we also pulled up the main (inspired by the fact that Bandit, a mono was catching me). Now this is an experimental sail configuration. I had heard of having two head sails up and wanted to use this configuration for the Polynesia run. I had never seen it. I didn't know how the main would work with this set up...would it take the wind from the two heads like it does from one? It didn't. The head sails seemed to funnel wind to each other staying full.... and the main stayed full. The sails worked best if I had the wind up to 30 degrees off my bum. I had the main car out as far as it would go on the opposite side to the wind. I ran the head sail sheets to the amidships cleats (using a ring of rope as a shackle to stop chafing).

We flew. The wind reached 23 knots over the next three days and we hits speeds of 13knots. We averaged over 6. We had to tack several times. This was a simple 40ish degree turn requiring the main sail to be switched to the other side. We covered 310nm (that's good going landlubbers??) in the first 48 hours.

The first 100nm had lots of shipping traffic and we had to take evasive action once. After that we were completely alone. Im not sure if all the other sail boats left? The wind, kept us more or less on the Rhumb line. North of the line the current disappeared. Between 5 and 20 nautical miles south, it ranged from 1 to 1.5 knots of current. So this is where we sat. The current could also be recognised when the water temp passed 30 Celsius. It was 26 when we left Las Perlas. It makes for a great swim, although it is a little disconcerting being towed at 7 knots through arguably the most alive water on the planet. In saying that I haven't yet managed to impress my crew with my fishing skills. One tuna meal was enjoyed by all and a huge somethingorother gave me a real fight before snapping my 80 pound line and making the reel too hot to touch.

We ran one engine for 8hrs on day three (night) and made another 125nm (no fish). Day four was 143nm with similar engine work. And here was I telling my my crew to expect 24hrs of motoring for the last 5 days of the passage. This sailing is such an awesome bonus. Doldrums....what doldrums?

Some crazy lights are on show in the north. Its like flashes of lightening along the distant horizon that make Birthe's arm hairs stand on end. The colours vary and so I'm looking to ask Mrs Google what the hell they are. There are minimal clouds? I am also going to ask her (it is a she cos she knows everything) about the phosphorescence. Twice I have seen a huge glow (family car size) emanating from the water like a spot light from outaspace.

On the subject of theories.... I was a little worried when Jeff started telling me of an article he read about why do dogs turn in circles before settling down to poo? And are the dogs supercilious facial expressions of embarrassment or concentration? Jeff seems to think that the dogs actually face to a certain doggie mecca to Poo. He also mimics the facial expression quite well. While on watch last night I came to the conclusion that the dog is simply looking upwind as I would do in a similar situation. I think the facial expression is a attempt at being "cute" but its not pulled off very well because the dog is actually doing a poo. This morning we asked Birthe her theory. She (without a second thought) said that the dog was flattening the grass so that it didn't cop a prickle up its bum. More study, discussion and observation is required....we are not bored but I think Birthe is onto something.

We had a wonderful break from the sailing (because we needed a break from the wonderful) when the wind disappeared completely. We dove, back flipped and frolicked. Swimming in 30c of 3km deep water, 300nm from land is a wonderful experience. If you get the chance to do it I suggest you look down. The light penetrates the ocean so that every shade of blue known to Mrs Google is visible..right down to the black/blue of the abyss. It's actually a little scary looking down.

You often hear about the sea being described as a desert. Being a boy from the arid Aussie outback, I see variety in the apparent nothingness. The sky looks as if it was drawn in a cartoon....I call it a "Simpsons" sky. Blue as sky with clouds that look like clouds all with white wispy tops and flat bottoms. I imagine surfers sitting on their boards in Costa Rica waiting for the gentle swells that rock our world to rock there's when they arrive in a few days time. Wildlife is sparse. A turtle floats by, a dolphin breaks the water, we sight a shark and a sea bird gives my pathetic lures a quick glance before flying on to where the fish really are.

We sailed gently into the sixth night at sea. Now at North 00.38 we are closing in on the Equator and then Isla San Cristobal, our first Galapagos port of call. The days have been extremely relaxing. There is no need to rush.
Waking up for my watch at 7.30am on Saturday the 15th of March was quite exciting. The equator was just 5nm away. We had plans. At sea you party as dictated by the wind and the waves...not the time. Conditions are perfect. Not a cloud in the sky, 28 degrees water, flat seas and 8 knots of wind pushing us at a pleasant 5knots.

So what to drink....it is a lovely sunrise and I do have Tequila, Grenadine and Triple Sec ...so why not Tequila Sunrises? I even had the Eagles on my iPod. I have the last of my Monte Cristo Cubans and not to be undone by all those cruisers who swim from the Northern to Southern Hemispheres....I am going to do it starkers.

Counting down the numbers on the GPS to N00.00.000 was like counting down to a millennium celebration. My only instructions to Jeff and Birthe was, "as the sails are up, we can't all jump in at once"....and "shield you eyes to my Lilly white arse" We hove too and swam.

And now we are in my Hemisphere. No more counting down the numbers....it's all up from here while we sail down.

Just a note of caution. Get an Autographo (sailing visa) for Galapagos. It doesn't cost more, took us about two weeks notice to receive and allows us up to 90 days to visit three islands. Boats just arriving on the basis of having "engine trouble" or for fuel and water are still charged about $800 and some are told to leave within 72hrs. Our check in was simple...almost festive. We had up 7 officials on board drinking coffee and coke while asking questions and poking their noses into the engine rooms, fridge and cabins while another guy dove to inspect my hull to ensure it was clean. All was done and dusted in 30 minutes.