Captain's log: Recanting our past few days...
22April2007-8:30pm

We finally left Puerto Lucia today, at 11:30 am. A bit of a rush as we went to the dock to fill our water tanks and jerry cans of fuel for the outboard. While the crew went ashore to shower, the I-beam of the fuel dock started to give way. S/v Encanto was cast off with only the Captain aboard. Idling, I awaited the return of my crew. Luckily, Julio, marinenera, brought them back in his panga, all sweet,clean and spry. I remain the sole "stinky sailor". We set off under the abundant and exuberant waves of our Tibetan Flags and hugs of Leslie and Philip (s/v Carina), George Stewart and a cast of Ecuadorian friends.

We ran the motor for about 20 minutes to get into deeper water and then headed into the wind to raise the Main Sail. We've been sailing ever since. It's now 8:30 pm, and all are asleep. Judy and Anya are doing the 12:00 - 4 AM watch. Both Judy and Sam are feeling a bit queasy, but nothing bad. We figured we had sailed 3 days in the past 9 months, so it feels a bit weird out here, even for me. By this time tomorrow, I'm sure I'll be fine.

It's clear, stars and a quarter moon are out. We have had several freighters go by in the distance, but nothing else. So far no dolphin, Sami and I did think we saw a Sun Fish though. There was a fin flopping around on the surface, like Sun Fish do.

And Gaby saw a whale briefly before it submerged to the deep below.

23April 2007-10 AM Captain's notes:
Well, all the weirdness I mentioned earlier is gone. As usual, as we are getting bumped around, not going the direction we need, being out here isn't so great. Especially so, when I think of everyone else sitting in a calm anchorage or dock. Anyway, around 01:00 AM, during Judy & Anya's watch, the wind backed to the south, south west, and intensified to between 15-18 knots. After reducing the Main Sail and adjusting the course, we were not only heading west, but a bit south also to make up for lost ground to the north. Given our present course, we should be back where I want, going west at 2 degrees south, sometime by the end of today. We are also doing 6-7 knots pretty regularly, so we may even make it to San Cristobal Island, quicker than planned. However, never count out the wind gods; they always have the last word. And Judy has NOT made her usual salutation to Neptune, so we don't know how that might make a difference. She's pleased, but are the Sea Gods?

23April2007--8 PM Captain's notes:
We had a fantastic day of sailing. 10-12 knots of wind, and small seas. From 1 AM to 4 PM, we were doing consistently, high 6's to low 7's knots. Really moving. Then at 4 PM someone killed the wind gods. Was it their Happy Hour? We sat for several hours until a breeze finally came up. We're making a blistery 1-1/2 to 2 knots, now.

Anya did her first watch alone for a few hours while Gaby became the Chief Chef of s/v Encanto. Anya watched as we weaved over and back across the longitude 83 degrees, probably doesn't count as a "shellback" passage. Gaby was the best of chefs creating from fresh tuna, both tuna melts and tuna burritos, made to order-hot and yummy.

24April 2007--2 AM First Mate's notes:
The Captain and crew are all asleep. Two AM on a dark night, a very dark night. The moonset about two hours ago and left an overcast night, not a starry night. We remain under sail at 6 knots, traveling due West. Only a brief interlude of no wind at dusk, since we left mainland Ecuador. No one wants to use the engine; the noise is deafening, not to mention the desire to conserve our fuel. Anyway, the swish of the sea passing is much more to our liking, especially with the abundant green diamonds left by our wake, during this moonless night. As my watch comes to an end (4:30 AM), the horizon is clearing and the celestial glitter is playing games with my sleepy eyes. I have handed the baton to the Captain and will let him discern the differences between the stars and the occasional freighter.

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