Category: Positions

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/04/07 22:10
LATITUDE: 00-44.89S
LONGITUDE: 090-18.60W
MARINE: NO
WIND_SPEED: 10
WIND_DIR: ESE
CLOUDS: 10%
VISIBILITY: 20
BARO: 1006.9
AIR_TEMP: 33.3C
COMMENT: Beach House ANCHORED – Isla Santa Cruz; We\’ll be here awhile…..

We\’ll the day started off bad and got worse. We first couldn\’t get our anchor off the bottom as it was wrapped around and then pinned between two
boulders in two different locations. Without SCUBA, I\’d still be there. Well, maybe that would have been okay? Half way here, the port engine oil leak went catastrophic on us and the oil pressure went to ZERO. I turned it off within 30 seconds, but who knows what damage has been done?
We limped into Santa Cruz on one engine (good thing we had two or we\’d still be drifting out there!), anchored and were immediately met by Eduardo and his daughter (who spoke perfect English). Eduardo will take the engine apart tomorrow and see what parts we need. They will take 8 days from Miami, the duty is 80%! He\’ll also have to have the CAM shaft sent to Ecuador (4 day turn around) while we\’re waiting for parts to have it inspected and checked for damage by a shop that does it.

As such, thank goodness this anchorage so far is WAY better than it was the last time I was here. Looks like we\’ll get to see all of Santa Cruz and do some day trips as well.
Okay, we\’ll cry in our beers for the moment, but best get this fixed NOW. Depending on what he finds tomorrow, he may have to check the starboard side as well? It had the same issue, but very minor and it may have even stopped?

We\’ll post a normal Ship\’s Blog regarding our time in San Cristobal, arrival and completion of our circumnavigation as soon as we can get internet.

KIT all!
Scott and Nikki
Santa Cruz Island – Academy Bay – The Galapagos Islands

YOTREPS: YES
TIME: 2016/04/01 13:07
LATITUDE: 01-14.85N
LONGITUDE: 086-45.25W
COURSE: 233T
SPEED: 8.3
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 11
WIND_DIR: SE
WAVE_HT: 0.0M
WAVE_PER: 0
SWELL_DIR: S
SWELL_HT: 2.5M
SWELL_PER: 8
CLOUDS: 50%
VISIBILITY: 12
BARO: 1012.1
AIR_TEMP: 29.
SEA_TEMP: 20.6C
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Galapagos Islands; Day 4- 176 nm

We sailed most of the last 24 hours but the wind went too south, so we\’re motoring for now. It\’s predicted to go back to the SE where we can sail again
but it may get too light. In any event, we should be at Wreck Bay, San Cristobal Island the Galapagos by tomorrow afternoon and we\’ll do a full report there. The big assist on this trip has been the strong current – up to 2.5 knots pushing in the right direction for the most part.

Last night when we were rolling up our mainsail, the \”down haul\” line cover again came undone from my repair and it\’s jammed so I can\’t fully lower the main till I replace the line which I\’ll do with Nikki\’s help when she\’s up and about. No big worries however. A bit more of a concern is our oil leaks.
I\’m pretty sure it\’s just the oil pan screws which need to be tightened, but we\’ll see when we get into port. We\’ve gone through a gallon of oil on the port engine and less on the starboard engine. There is no gasket and a \”form a gasket\” type material was used. It may be leaking?

Oh the joys of dealing with engine oil!….:-) We keep an eye on it and every several hours turn the engine off, let them cool and check and fill oil as necessary.

All is well, it\’s just normal stuff for a long distance boat.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

YOTREPS: YES
TIME: 2016/04/01 13:07
LATITUDE: 01-14.85N
LONGITUDE: 086-45.25W
COURSE: 233T
SPEED: 8.3
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 11
WIND_DIR: SE
WAVE_HT: 0.0M
WAVE_PER: 0
SWELL_DIR: S
SWELL_HT: 2.5M
SWELL_PER: 8
CLOUDS: 50%
VISIBILITY: 12
BARO: 1012.1
AIR_TEMP: 29.
SEA_TEMP: 20.6C
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Galapagos Islands; Day 4- 176 nm

We sailed most of the last 24 hours but the wind went too south, so we\’re motoring for now. It\’s predicted to go back to the SE where we can sail again
but it may get too light. In any event, we should be at Wreck Bay, San Cristobal Island the Galapagos by tomorrow afternoon and we\’ll do a full report there. The big assist on this trip has been the strong current – up to 2.5 knots pushing in the right direction for the most part.

Last night when we were rolling up our mainsail, the \”down haul\” line cover again came undone from my repair and it\’s jammed so I can\’t fully lower the main till I replace the line which I\’ll do with Nikki\’s help when she\’s up and about. No big worries however. A bit more of a concern is our oil leaks.
I\’m pretty sure it\’s just the oil pan screws which need to be tightened, but we\’ll see when we get into port. We\’ve gone through a gallon of oil on the port engine and less on the starboard engine. There is no gasket and a \”form a gasket\” type material was used. It may be leaking?

Oh the joys of dealing with engine oil!….:-) We keep an eye on it and every several hours turn the engine off, let them cool and check and fill oil as necessary.

All is well, it\’s just normal stuff for a long distance boat.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/03/30 13:28
LATITUDE: 03-58.24N
LONGITUDE: 081-41.16W
COURSE: 239T
SPEED: 6.6
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 5
WIND_DIR: NE
WAVE_HT: 0.0M
WAVE_PER: 0
SWELL_DIR: NNW
SWELL_HT: 1.0M
SWELL_PER: 6
CLOUDS: 50%
VISIBILITY: 12
COMMENT: Beach House – ABEAM – Malpelo Island; Day 2 – 126 nm

A note to our Facebook followers….So you know, we cannot receive Facebook \”at sea\”, but know lots of comments are being left our notification system – thanks. We now have over 450 email subscribers and over 250 Facebook followers.

The best way to contact us directly is:
Nikki is at: nicolaw(AT)sailmail.com
Scott is at: WDB5638(AT)sailmail.com
We have satellite email, but NO internet. We remote post via satellite. Our \”on board\” emails cannot take any attachments.

We arrived at 0630 local time and the first thing I thought is that King Kong must live here. No jungle, just a stark barren (but beautiful in it\’s own way) rock. It\’s about 3000 (1Km) feet long and just under 1000 feet high (300 meters). The top looks like (but I don\’t think is) a volcano like looking dome. There are roughly 10 nearby pinnacles sticking out of the water like needles to a height of about 40-80 feet.

We hailed and received three different radio voices. One female and they were merely acknowledging our presence and intended route. Eventually, they told us we could not stop without a permit, but we suspect the real reason was that their supply vessel was here on the one and only mooring on the east side of the island. Going ashore would be most daunting! There is a gantry about 40 feet above the water that extends out about 80 feet and I suspect either a gangway is temporarily lowered or a bucket seat is deployed or maybe even a rope ladder! The cliffs are absolutely sheer.

As such, we said hello and thanks and did a circumnavigation of the island which took about 45 minutes. You could easily see the appeal here for the dive crowd as they would use the mooring and do large dinghy diving off the pinnacles. Apparently, the shark action here is world class.

This was a lark anyway and only added a total of 30 miles to the entire trip. I\’ve just topped up the fuel tanks and we\’ve plenty left. If the wind doesn\’t appear, we can motor the entire way with fuel left over. We\’ve 535 miles to go which should take at this speed about 3 days. We should arrive at San Cristobal Island, Galapagos on Saturday morning. For those who have followed us a long time, that will be where \”Beach House\” crosses her own wake and completes her world circumnavigation. Bitter sweet and I\’ll have a blog on it soon after our arrival.

Motoring along,
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/03/30 13:28
LATITUDE: 03-58.24N
LONGITUDE: 081-41.16W
COURSE: 239T
SPEED: 6.6
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 5
WIND_DIR: NE
WAVE_HT: 0.0M
WAVE_PER: 0
SWELL_DIR: NNW
SWELL_HT: 1.0M
SWELL_PER: 6
CLOUDS: 50%
VISIBILITY: 12
COMMENT: Beach House – ABEAM – Malpelo Island; Day 2 – 126 nm

A note to our Facebook followers….So you know, we cannot receive Facebook \”at sea\”, but know lots of comments are being left our notification system – thanks. We now have over 450 email subscribers and over 250 Facebook followers.

The best way to contact us directly is:
Nikki is at: nicolaw(AT)sailmail.com
Scott is at: WDB5638(AT)sailmail.com
We have satellite email, but NO internet. We remote post via satellite. Our \”on board\” emails cannot take any attachments.

We arrived at 0630 local time and the first thing I thought is that King Kong must live here. No jungle, just a stark barren (but beautiful in it\’s own way) rock. It\’s about 3000 (1Km) feet long and just under 1000 feet high (300 meters). The top looks like (but I don\’t think is) a volcano like looking dome. There are roughly 10 nearby pinnacles sticking out of the water like needles to a height of about 40-80 feet.

We hailed and received three different radio voices. One female and they were merely acknowledging our presence and intended route. Eventually, they told us we could not stop without a permit, but we suspect the real reason was that their supply vessel was here on the one and only mooring on the east side of the island. Going ashore would be most daunting! There is a gantry about 40 feet above the water that extends out about 80 feet and I suspect either a gangway is temporarily lowered or a bucket seat is deployed or maybe even a rope ladder! The cliffs are absolutely sheer.

As such, we said hello and thanks and did a circumnavigation of the island which took about 45 minutes. You could easily see the appeal here for the dive crowd as they would use the mooring and do large dinghy diving off the pinnacles. Apparently, the shark action here is world class.

This was a lark anyway and only added a total of 30 miles to the entire trip. I\’ve just topped up the fuel tanks and we\’ve plenty left. If the wind doesn\’t appear, we can motor the entire way with fuel left over. We\’ve 535 miles to go which should take at this speed about 3 days. We should arrive at San Cristobal Island, Galapagos on Saturday morning. For those who have followed us a long time, that will be where \”Beach House\” crosses her own wake and completes her world circumnavigation. Bitter sweet and I\’ll have a blog on it soon after our arrival.

Motoring along,
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

YOTREPS: YES
TIME: 2016/03/29 17:04
LATITUDE: 05-45.51N
LONGITUDE: 080-33.15W
COURSE: 226T
SPEED: 6.8
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 15
WIND_DIR: NNE
WAVE_HT: 0.2M
WAVE_PER: 6
SWELL_DIR: NNE
SWELL_HT: 1.0M
SWELL_PER: 6
CLOUDS: 50%
VISIBILITY: 12
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Malpelo Island (Columbia) to Galapagos Isles (Ecuador) – Day 1 – 191 nautical miles. Total distance to Galapagos, approx. 875 nm.

We had some real \”breeze\” last night – 18-25 knots from directly behind us. Add the strong current running with us (up to 2.5 knots) out of the Gulf of Panama and despite being reefed and only using the staysail last night, we covered 191 nautical miles. A great first days run. We are currently, 120 miles NE of Malpelo Island which we expect to be at tomorrow in the morning. If the winds are light (as we expect), we may ask permission to stay a day or even two on their mooring buoy if it\’s available and come ashore. If the winds become favorable, we may pass.

This is a remote Columbian Navy outpost which primarily keeps claim to the island and poachers away. There was once a massacre of sharks here numbering over 2000 – just for their fins.

There are 1-2 commercially operated recreational dive boats that do come here for the \”big animal\” encounters. There is apparently nowhere to anchor as the cliffs are steep and deep. The island is only one mile long, quite barren looking from the photos and has some outlying rocks to the north. As such, if we stop, it will have to be on the Navy\’s mooring which is apparently, mostly available. Of course we will ask permission and it\’s requested that all vessels transiting within 20 nm of the island call them via VHF Radio.

For the Google Earth savvy amongst you, Malpelo Island is at: 03 degrees 59 minutes North x 081 degrees 36 minutes West.

It\’s a nice day out here, but like much of the Pacific side of Panama, it\’s very hazy. We are after all in the ITCZ! Despite this. Not a hint of rain so far and I should be reminded to be careful what I ask for! Much cooler out here than the coast.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

YOTREPS: YES
TIME: 2016/03/29 17:04
LATITUDE: 05-45.51N
LONGITUDE: 080-33.15W
COURSE: 226T
SPEED: 6.8
MARINE: YES
WIND_SPEED: 15
WIND_DIR: NNE
WAVE_HT: 0.2M
WAVE_PER: 6
SWELL_DIR: NNE
SWELL_HT: 1.0M
SWELL_PER: 6
CLOUDS: 50%
VISIBILITY: 12
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Malpelo Island (Columbia) to Galapagos Isles (Ecuador) – Day 1 – 191 nautical miles. Total distance to Galapagos, approx. 875 nm.

We had some real \”breeze\” last night – 18-25 knots from directly behind us. Add the strong current running with us (up to 2.5 knots) out of the Gulf of Panama and despite being reefed and only using the staysail last night, we covered 191 nautical miles. A great first days run. We are currently, 120 miles NE of Malpelo Island which we expect to be at tomorrow in the morning. If the winds are light (as we expect), we may ask permission to stay a day or even two on their mooring buoy if it\’s available and come ashore. If the winds become favorable, we may pass.

This is a remote Columbian Navy outpost which primarily keeps claim to the island and poachers away. There was once a massacre of sharks here numbering over 2000 – just for their fins.

There are 1-2 commercially operated recreational dive boats that do come here for the \”big animal\” encounters. There is apparently nowhere to anchor as the cliffs are steep and deep. The island is only one mile long, quite barren looking from the photos and has some outlying rocks to the north. As such, if we stop, it will have to be on the Navy\’s mooring which is apparently, mostly available. Of course we will ask permission and it\’s requested that all vessels transiting within 20 nm of the island call them via VHF Radio.

For the Google Earth savvy amongst you, Malpelo Island is at: 03 degrees 59 minutes North x 081 degrees 36 minutes West.

It\’s a nice day out here, but like much of the Pacific side of Panama, it\’s very hazy. We are after all in the ITCZ! Despite this. Not a hint of rain so far and I should be reminded to be careful what I ask for! Much cooler out here than the coast.
KIT,
Scott and Nikki

AIRMAIL YOTREPS
IDENT: N6ABC
TIME: 2016/03/28 19:00
LATITUDE: 08-12.41N
LONGITUDE: 078-54.17W
COURSE: 213T
SPEED: 6.8
COMMENT: Beach House – En Route – Malpelo Island? to Galapagos Islands. We\’re currently ABEAM Punta Cocos at the southern tip of Isla del Rey, Las Perlas Islands. Just went by the 150 year old wreck of the world\’s first commercial submarine). Once used in the pearling industry here.

We\’ve spent several days in the Eastern Las Perlas Islands awaiting a \”weather window\”. There was a great one a week ago, but alas
it appears one is not to be found. So rather than burn fuel waiting for a window, we\’ll burn fuel and head where we want to go. We\’ve over 8000 sailing miles this season to go to get to Sydney on time for the Christmas/New Years celebrations (with our families)2017! Yes…we are taking the long road home.

Now, we\’re about as far away from OZ as we can be in the Pacific and in the far Eastern side of the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone) and it\’s hot/muggy and windlass here. It\’s where the Northern and Southern Trade winds meet for those of you who want to know! At least we don\’t have thunderstorms which this area and to the north and south of are famous for in the summers. The winds are anything from North to South – East to West at 20 knots (in the night from Panama south) to zero just about everywhere else. We\’ve plenty of fuel and are updating our weather every six hours looking for a breath. The seas are flat.

We\’re headed in the direction of Malpelo Island which is SW of us exactly 300 nautical miles. It should take us about 2 days to get there at 7 knots (if we can maintain this speed!). We might try and stop if the weather window improves for the last (then) 500 miles to the Galapagos Islands.

Malpelo is stark and only a mile long. The Columbian Navy keeps an outpost there and the main attraction is \”big animal\” diving. Galapagos and Hammerhead sharks are reported to be in relatively shallow water and everywhere! I doubt I\’ll do a dive as Nik isn\’t into sharks (yet…:-)) and it may require a permit which we don\’t have. There is NO anchorage there and if the Navy says it\’s okay, we could tie up to one of their supply ship mooring buoys. We\’ll see.
The wind and current look more favorable in the direction of Malpelo and essentially, it\’s right on the way.

It will mostly be a long motor slog till we get near the Galapagos. We\’re planning on doing only about 100-120 miles/day. We\’re topped up with fuel, but still might NEED to do some sailing which we hope to do starting tonight with the diurnal wind coming south out of the Gulf of Panama.

Getting close to \”tying the knot\”. Where we\’re headed….I\’ve already been.

KIT,
Scott and Nikki (making a great pizza!)