En Route to the Galapagos – 7 April 2024.

Charles and I were on two night shifts (it got dark at 5.30pm) the first being 8.00pm to 11.00pm and by 8.00pm we were approaching the beginning of the TSS (Traffic Separation Zone) for the Panama Canal/Port. These TSS start some 30-50 nm out so that the tankers and cargo ships can line up and approach at the right angle etc. They are like motorways so there is a north lane for those approaching  and a southbound lane for those leaving Panama and going elsewhere. We could see on the AIS all of the cargo ships etc and our course was going close to the entrance to the TSS. We therefore had to watch out for these ships and ensure we were not  going to collide with any of them and hopefully they could see us and would avoid us.

We avoided most but there was a passenger ship – a Cruise ship called the Silver Nova heading toward us and our CPA (Closest Point of Approach- i.e. how close it will get) was 250 meters to 0.3nm. We normally like at least a mile. It was still some 25nm away -about an hour – so there was time for it to change course. I thought we would leave it until 10nm and if it had not changed by then I would call them up on the VHF radio.

When it got to about 10nm I could see a light ahead of us on the port side. I called the Silver Nova on channel 16 and asked them to switch to channel 6. I explained, where we were and  who we were and were we ok to maintain our present course? In simple terms – effectively had they seen us and could they go round us and give us space. They politely answered yes they had seen us and would keep out of our way. I thanked them and wished them a good watch. They did the same in return and I then gradually saw them changing course leaving us about 1.2nm on our port side. They passed and were lit up like a Christmas Tree. Once they had passed there were no other ships to cause us concern and there were some tankers – just floating way out as it was too deep to anchor and they were drifting at 0.4kts in the current. I guess they were waiting to be called into Panama.

We came off watch at 11.00am and there was still no wind and we continued motoring. We went to bed and were woken at 4.45am by Keith and Angus for our 5.00am watch with a cup of tea. It was already beginning to get a little light, but it was glassy calm and grey and it was difficult in some areas to distinguish between the horizon and the sea. There was no sunrise due to the cloud cover, but it got lighter. We saw some dolphins about 50 yards either side of us, but they did not come to visit and there was quite a lot of birdlife to start with. There were petrels which were quite small and shearwaters flying around. There was the odd raft of petrels who sat on the water together having a meeting or a coffee. I also thought I saw a sun fish lying flat in the water flapping its side wing. Otherwise, the watch was quite boring – no wind, no waves, no ships or boats and the hum of the engine as it powered us about 7kts or so toward our destination. This is what the doldrums is like. I had checked the weather and there may be some wind around 8.00am tomorrow the 8th but even this may be no more than 8 kts.  We had breakfast and coffee.

Mark and Joyce took over and they started to go through their checks. One of those checks was to look at the bilges (bottom of the boat under the floorboards) and they could see some water sloshing around and it was coming from the engine room. I therefore opened the door which was quite noisy as the engine was still running. There was some water on the metal walkway and then I traced it back to the valves to the right of the generator where there was some spray. I tasted the water and it was fresh water. I then looked back further still and behind the generator and I saw some water gushing out of a blue cold-water pipe which was connected to the Calorifier – which provides and stores hot water. This pipe led from the Calorifier down under the floor toward the rear shower room. This would be difficult to access. I chatted with Mark and we turned off the water pumps which provide pressure in the system so the water leak could stop. We could either continue as is, but we would      gradually loose water and would have to make some more regularly or just switch on the pumps when we needed them, but this would be a pain to do every time we wanted to use a tap. Finally, could we repair it but how?

I considered liquid gasket which you put on leaks, and it dries but we were not sure it would hold due to the pressure of the pumps. I thought we had some spare pipe and before long I was going under the floor in the corridor to check my spares. Yes I had quite a section of the same blue pipe and I also found a large bag of pipe fittings. These were the plastic clip fittings into which you put the pipe and it clicks and locks it. We thought that we could cut out the broken section and using the plastic clip fittings we could insert a new piece of pipe. If we got it wrong then it could be tricky as it may prevent us using the water system. The difficulty was access.

We turned off the engine first and put out the genoa- the wind was so light we were making 1 kt. Mark got in the hot engine room and laid over the generator housing and cut the pipe as best he could. We then unclipped the upper end and measured a new piece of pipe and then clipped the new pipe in place. Mark was not sure the lower clip was in, so I checked and all looked good. I then asked Mark to turn on the pumps. The bottom clip held and was not leaking but the top connector was leaking as it was not housed properly. Once housed it worked and did not leak. We put the engine back on and were back up to 7kts.

We will keep an eye on it but satisfying that we were able to solve the issue and luckily I had the parts to do so. I checked it an hour later and all was good. At the same time that I was under the floor I saw the parts for the fixings on the window in the windscreen of the doghouse. One of the rubber fixings had sheared and so when I found these parts I found a spare. It took some time to get the fixing out of the glass but once done I put the new fitting in place. Another job done.

It was very hot and humid and with the engine on there was little to do on the watches. We had lunch and then I had a snooze and others rested or read books if you were not on watch.

Charles and  I came on watch at 4.00pm and were on duty until 8.00pm. There was little going on, so we looked out for wildlife and saw some dolphins in the distance and plenty of birds to follow. Then about 5.00pm a red footed boobie bird came and sat on the pulpit (the steel at the front of the boat that the guard rails attach to). It sat there quite unphased by the movement of the boat in the swell and I thought it had been on a boat before and knew what it was doing. It was a reasonable size with brown foliage and red feet hence its name. It sat there knowing we were there and watching and cleaning and sorting its plumage with its beak which was white. It is the smallest of the boobies found in the Galapagos and one which lives and fishes far out at sea. We are about 640 nm from the Galapagos. Please see the photo.

Mark cooked a Babootie which is South African dish which was delicious and we settled down for the night again. Our boobie friend is still there and we can see him a bit in the shine from the navigation lights we have on the front. He may think we are going to the Galapagos and will hitch a lift. Let’s see if he is there in the morning.  

Opportunity for any Readers/Sailors.

In late May 2024 we shall be in the Marquesas in French Polynesia, and we will then move through to the Tuamotu’s before getting to Tahiti about the end of July 2024. There may be some space on Stormbird during this period should any sailor/reader be interested in joining for this period or part of it in what must be one of the most distant and beautiful places in the world.

In addition, in year two I will be going up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and probably across the Indian Ocean to Cape Town and I will need some more crew.

If there is any interest do email me at  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

The blog will continue as we head off to the Galapagos and beyond.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com  I can only upload one picture a day and visit our website www.stormbirdgoesglobal.co.uk