ITCHY KEEL - NEARLY THERE!
08 May 2010 | Underway from Mexico to Marquesas
Joe
Day 22 Sat 8 May
Only a bit more than 400 miles to go, or 69 hours at the 6 knots we're doing now. Been moving at between 6 and 7 today. Boat on a close reach, with reefed genny, staysail, reefed main. Steering herself with the wheel lashed. Keeps a fairly good course - 217 degrees true or a bit more to the West. Very bumpy ride. Maybe reach the anchorage Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning.
Another boat, Skylite, had their jib roller furler break yesterday, and their jib shredded. Have very little fuel, and believe they are being pushed Westward by a current. They are closer to landfall than us and are headed for Nuka Hiva. Other boats who are further ahead assure them the winds will swing into the ESE or East, allowing Skylite to make the island. A fellow cruiser, Syzygy, will come out with fuel as they approach the anchorage, if needed. People look after each other. Looking forward to meeting cruising folk who did the "Puddle Jump" with us, and who we know from radio conversations.
p.s. from Adrienne Just to share that today a pod of bottle nose dolphins graced us with their company, they have the tiniest tails. How do they fling themselves aloft? and stay there horizontal that tiny tail flapping to beat the band? We are loooking forward to landfall and pleased that even with all the calm spells and mid-ocean repair delays we will still arrive in only 26 days!