Category: Latest News

Today perhaps the last day in low winds. Running downwind in 7 kn of wind and swell is a slow no-fun business. Luckily I had around 0,5 kn of current with me for some hours. Luckily the ship is in perfect balance so the Monitor windvane can cope with these conditions. Enjoy your weekend!

While I was typing the last post I felt something crawling up my leg: a tiny gecko. I named him Gerd the Gecko. Hopefully he finds sufficient food and water to survive the long trip. Haven’t seen any insects lately that could serve as snacks for him. He must have been on board since Shelter Bay Marina in Colon, Panama. Wish him luck!

Some mild squalls in the evening. I put in the second reef and exchanged the genoa (54 sqm) for the jib (27sqm). Let’s see what surprise this night will bring up. Last night I had to deal with several hours of calm.

No wind at night, but the days are sooo nice. It can not get any better!

For three days I have up to five stowaways on my pulpit and on the front cleats. They seem to know me by now and don’t fly away anymore, when I am in the cockpit or have a shower. Nice company. If they would only talk to me instead of making croaky noises. And someone needs to tell them that my foredeck is not a bird’s litter tray! Please email me the name of these birds. They have red feet. Some have blue and some have brown beaks.

Just after my daily phonecall with Kirsten, I crossed the line. If all goes to plan, I will stay on the southern hemisphere for nearly two years.

A bit more wind and waves, 15 kn, gusts 21kn. After the next two days of stronger winds the wind will slowly turn a bit more easterly. I am done with upwind sailing for this trip! I entered a new timezone: GMT -6 (MESZ -8). My latitude is N 0° 49,920. Equator, here I come!

In the afternoon I had a visitor flying circles around Easy. Then he lost interest and flew off. At night, I am frequently surrounded by birds, making funny noises and sometimes catching fish.

I am still waiting for the wind to shift south. It has been very stable during the last two days, but still blowing from the wrong direction. Teaches me a lesson in patience.

It will be 2-3 days of working my way south, until I will hit more favourable winds. Today, I passed the Isla Malpela, a mountain in the middle of th Pacific Ocean. Besides that, I have not seen land or a ship since three days.