We had a rowdy night last night. There were quite a few thunderstorms in the area. As the sun set the distant fireworks display began. We were past the axis of the ITCZ but still under its influence. It started raining just as it got dark, we snapped in our new cockpit enclosure just in time. In retrospect the enclosure was a great addition once we finally got it finished (started in Grenada, finished in Panama City just before we left).

The wind was still blowing straight from the Galapagos and the seas were on the nose with the current battling us as well. We had expected this for one, maybe two days. The wind was on the nose for two days (through which we motor sailed almost the whole way).

This morning was beautiful. A lovely day at sea. We shut down the diesel and put up all the canvas. It was a great morning of sailing. We couldn't quite lay San Cristobal in the Galapagos but we weren't too far north of track. Unfortunately by afternoon we were lulling along with 5 - 8 knots of wind and a 30 degree course error. We are downloading weather now. As soon as we review the GRIBs and find some southerly wind we will start up the diesels and drive straight there.

We have been checking in on the Pan Pacific net on the SSB at 9AM, 8.143MHz. It is a nice net. Various boats underway check in from Panama to the Marquesas. Everyone provides weather at their position which can give you a basic idea of what is happening around the area. We said hi to Galletia, the boat we were rafted to on the way through the Panama Canal, as they made their way to the Marquesas.

We slogged out a tough 148 miles yesterday trying to conserve fuel and beating into the forces of mother nature all lined up to defend Ecuador's prized islands. I'm scared of what we'll post today. Hideko and I have never had to accept 4 knots of boat speed in a calm before. We would just start up the motor and go (and at a fair sight more than 1,800 RPMs). It is a long way to French Polynesia though so we have to sail if we can. We can likely fuel up in the Galapagos but we are already conserving.

Nobu says: "I started playing the Uke! (jamming with Randy)"

Ed says: "cough cough (he's almost over his cold), can't wait to meet the animals of the Galapagos! [and I can't believe we didn't catch any fish today, getting low on Tuna]"

Hideko says: "I'm still waiting for Randy to catch me a Wahoo"

486nm to go...