07 09.893 S, 080 14.838 W
Today we made a stop at Islas Lobos de Afuerta. It is a nature reserve made of a group of small islands. The only inhabitants are sea lions, pelicans, boobies, frigate birds and other sea birds. In the anchorage we saw several whales. It still makes me feel anxious when a mammal the size of our boat surfaces less than 2 boat lengths away.
We stopped so that Rich could change the fuel filter on the engine and so we could transfer some diesel from the jerry cans to the aft fuel tank.
I have a longer blog entry on this that I will post when we have internet.
Anyway, we are doing well. Of course we wish we were at Callao already but so far so good.
Cheers,
Elaine and Rich
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Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Day 5, Passage to Callao
06 31.011 S. 80 10.790 W
We are around both capes, Cabo Blanco and Punta Arujes (spelling?) We have been sailing as much as possible to conserve fuel. Since the predominant winds and current are from the south and the direction we want to go, we need to tack back and forth, which means we have to go farther. Callao seems to be getting farther, the closer we try to get to it. We have traveled just about 500 miles. Our original sail plan estimated about 810 nautical miles from Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador to Callao, Peru, which assumed we could sail directly on our plan. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Having sailed 500 nm, we should have only 810 left but no so, it is more like 415 or so. I know we will get there, some time...
Late this afternoon as we were preparing to reef the main sail, it was feeding time for the dolphins and the frigate birds. The dolphins swam by the bow to say hi and then they would shoot over and you would see lots of activity in the water. The frigate birds would circle and then suddenly dive head first into the water, one after another, like a bombing run. It was amazing to see and then it was over as quickly as it had started.
Cheers
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We are around both capes, Cabo Blanco and Punta Arujes (spelling?) We have been sailing as much as possible to conserve fuel. Since the predominant winds and current are from the south and the direction we want to go, we need to tack back and forth, which means we have to go farther. Callao seems to be getting farther, the closer we try to get to it. We have traveled just about 500 miles. Our original sail plan estimated about 810 nautical miles from Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador to Callao, Peru, which assumed we could sail directly on our plan. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Having sailed 500 nm, we should have only 810 left but no so, it is more like 415 or so. I know we will get there, some time...
Late this afternoon as we were preparing to reef the main sail, it was feeding time for the dolphins and the frigate birds. The dolphins swam by the bow to say hi and then they would shoot over and you would see lots of activity in the water. The frigate birds would circle and then suddenly dive head first into the water, one after another, like a bombing run. It was amazing to see and then it was over as quickly as it had started.
Cheers
----------
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Sunday, November 10, 2013
Day 4, Passage to Callao
05 05.370 S, 81 28.110 W
We made it around Cabo Blanco. It was a little tough at the end as there were all sorts of fishermen with nets which are lit with lights that flash red, green and white. We wish we could tell where was the end of the row. At one point we tried to go around a net following the lights only to run over it instead. Luckily we did not get caught on it.
Today we have been sailing as much as possible to conserve fuel. Just before I came down to do these entries, the speed log stopped working. This is frustrating as now we don't know how we are being affected by the current. So far it has been minimal but now we will not know at all.
We have one more cape to go around and then it should be 'smooth sailing', or something like that.
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We made it around Cabo Blanco. It was a little tough at the end as there were all sorts of fishermen with nets which are lit with lights that flash red, green and white. We wish we could tell where was the end of the row. At one point we tried to go around a net following the lights only to run over it instead. Luckily we did not get caught on it.
Today we have been sailing as much as possible to conserve fuel. Just before I came down to do these entries, the speed log stopped working. This is frustrating as now we don't know how we are being affected by the current. So far it has been minimal but now we will not know at all.
We have one more cape to go around and then it should be 'smooth sailing', or something like that.
----------
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Saturday, November 9, 2013
Day 3, in Peruvian waters
04 01.894 S, 81 15.761 W
We had 24 hours of great sailing, favorable current, good weather, reasonable seas. Now we are trying to get around Cabo Blanco and I am trying to remember what those 24 hours were like since now it is dark, large confused seas, gusty winds, etc.
Looking forward to being around the cape...
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We had 24 hours of great sailing, favorable current, good weather, reasonable seas. Now we are trying to get around Cabo Blanco and I am trying to remember what those 24 hours were like since now it is dark, large confused seas, gusty winds, etc.
Looking forward to being around the cape...
----------
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Friday, November 8, 2013
Day 2 passage to Callao, Peru
02 32.247 S, 80 56.533 W
This morning we made a brief stop at Salinas. We were seeing a leak in the aft head and we wanted to check it out. It turned out to be a fitting on the top of the water heater was failing and leaking. Rich tightened it up but we will have to make a better repair in Callao. It is not a) life threatening, b) engine threatening, c) serious and d) something we can't live with. As we have been motorsailing so far, we thought we would quickly stop in and buy some more diesel. It was a good thought but when we went to the marina and found out that we had to have an agent and that we would have to check back into Ecuador, buy fuel and then check out again with at least a charge of $200 plus the agent's fee of $50 with no assurance that there would be no other fees and that this could be accomplished today so we could continue to Peru, we decided that we did not need the extra fuel and we could continue.
The whole stop cost us a few hours of time but we got to see one of the submarines of the Ecuadorian Navy. Now we are sailing across the Golfo de Guayaquil, conserving fuel and heading to Peru.
Cheers
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This morning we made a brief stop at Salinas. We were seeing a leak in the aft head and we wanted to check it out. It turned out to be a fitting on the top of the water heater was failing and leaking. Rich tightened it up but we will have to make a better repair in Callao. It is not a) life threatening, b) engine threatening, c) serious and d) something we can't live with. As we have been motorsailing so far, we thought we would quickly stop in and buy some more diesel. It was a good thought but when we went to the marina and found out that we had to have an agent and that we would have to check back into Ecuador, buy fuel and then check out again with at least a charge of $200 plus the agent's fee of $50 with no assurance that there would be no other fees and that this could be accomplished today so we could continue to Peru, we decided that we did not need the extra fuel and we could continue.
The whole stop cost us a few hours of time but we got to see one of the submarines of the Ecuadorian Navy. Now we are sailing across the Golfo de Guayaquil, conserving fuel and heading to Peru.
Cheers
----------
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Thursday, November 7, 2013
first night to Callao, Peru
01 14.092 S, 80 52.726 W
Our pilot, Pedro, was late this morning so we did not leave until 6:15 am. Chuck and Linda on SV Jacaranda followed us close behind. After we let off Pedro, we turn south to Peru and Jacaranda turned the opposite direction to Panama.
So far we have been motorsailing with the main and staysail. Winds have varied between 12 and 19 knots and we are close hauled. The setting current has been between .5 and 1 knot. This evening the current has slackened and the wind is not on our nose as much so we are making about 5 knots speed over the ground.
we have traveled about 60 miles since this morning. Just a little under 750 to go.
Cheers
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Our pilot, Pedro, was late this morning so we did not leave until 6:15 am. Chuck and Linda on SV Jacaranda followed us close behind. After we let off Pedro, we turn south to Peru and Jacaranda turned the opposite direction to Panama.
So far we have been motorsailing with the main and staysail. Winds have varied between 12 and 19 knots and we are close hauled. The setting current has been between .5 and 1 knot. This evening the current has slackened and the wind is not on our nose as much so we are making about 5 knots speed over the ground.
we have traveled about 60 miles since this morning. Just a little under 750 to go.
Cheers
----------
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Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Heading south
This is just a quick note to let you know we are leaving Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador for Callao, Peru tomorrow morning at 5:30 am to catch the rising tide to cross the bar. Our friends Chuck and Linda of SV Jacaranda are leaving at the same time but they are headed to Panama.
Tuesday we caught a ride with Geovanny the taxi driver to the town of Manta, an hour and 15 minute drive from here. Geovanny handled taking our paperwork and passports to immigration to get them stamped. Meanwhile Rich and I did some provisioning at two of the large grocery stores. Now we have food for our journey southward. We treated him to lunch and practiced our Spanish skills. We are getting better and were able to find out about his two kids, a lawyer and a doctor, who both live in Guayaquil along with his two grandchildren. Geovanny drives not only to Manta but to Guayaquil at least three times a week. We wish we had known about him when we got lost with Cristobal.
Anyway, Windarra is prepared and hopefully we are too. It is a little over 800 miles but we will be going against the Humboldt current and into the wind as well so it may be a longer trip. We are guessing about 8-10 days but we will see.
I will try to send some reports along the way. Once we cross into Peruvian waters we need to report into Tramar at 8 am and 8 pm every day.
Cheers,
Elaine and Rich
Sent from Elaine's iPhone
Tuesday we caught a ride with Geovanny the taxi driver to the town of Manta, an hour and 15 minute drive from here. Geovanny handled taking our paperwork and passports to immigration to get them stamped. Meanwhile Rich and I did some provisioning at two of the large grocery stores. Now we have food for our journey southward. We treated him to lunch and practiced our Spanish skills. We are getting better and were able to find out about his two kids, a lawyer and a doctor, who both live in Guayaquil along with his two grandchildren. Geovanny drives not only to Manta but to Guayaquil at least three times a week. We wish we had known about him when we got lost with Cristobal.
Anyway, Windarra is prepared and hopefully we are too. It is a little over 800 miles but we will be going against the Humboldt current and into the wind as well so it may be a longer trip. We are guessing about 8-10 days but we will see.
I will try to send some reports along the way. Once we cross into Peruvian waters we need to report into Tramar at 8 am and 8 pm every day.
Cheers,
Elaine and Rich
Sent from Elaine's iPhone
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