Las Perlas - 4 April 2024
It was not a restful night as the wind and swell rocked us around. In addition, the anchor alarm went off about 1.30am and Mark and I both got up and met at the companion stairs. The rest of the crew did not stir!.
We had moved around with the tide and we concluded although the anchor had not dragged, we had just moved with the tide and that is what the alarm was sensing. When this happens you do not sleep that well. It also did not help that is started raining and I was woken by raindrops, so I had to get up and close a number of hatches/windows. I awoke a little tired and after others. Joyce cooked some porridge which went down well and after which we prepared the boat and cleared up after the barbecue from the night before. It was quite grey and cloudy and sort of welcome as it was cooler. I did not like this anchorage and decided we should move on to the Isla Espirito Santo – somewhere which the pope may like!.
A small motorboat headed towards us and there was a man with his young son and daughter with him. He only spoke Spanish but had some lobsters and some fruit to sell. We bought two Papaya’s, some small mango’s and two lobsters for US$13 which we thought was quite good value. We sorted everything out and upped anchor and with Joyce on the helm headed out round the Isla San Telmo and going south down the east of Isla de Rey heading north. There was no wind to speak of and so we had to motor but watched the skein’s(flocks) of Pelicans flying across between the Islands. We carried on round and had to dodge a few rocks here and then we headed toward the gap between Islas Espirito Santo and Isla de Rey.
We came to the gap and it was very calm and we thought we would anchor off a small beach with palm trees. This island has a lot of history and apparently whales and their calves come down this channel. When we went to anchor the windlass (motor which pulls the anchor up and lets it down) was not working. I luckily had a spare fuse and whilst Mark hang around and went in circles, I replaced it. It did not take too long and we anchored and it was very calm and peaceful. Most of us had a swim before lunch and it seemed the water was clearer, but it was not really. I saw that some dirt was already forming on the hull despite our clean and that is because the water is so green. During the day I brushed the area around the waterline to keep it clean.
We had a nice lunch and then chilled and read books. After lunch we had one of the Papaya’s which was just right. Some of us had a snooze to catch up and then we had a further swim to cool off. Charles took the paddle board ashore and came back to say there was a path to the other side of the island where there was another sandy bay with rocks which may have more fish.
We had a sundowner on the back deck and just listened to the silence or rather the sound of nature- cicadas, birdsong, parrots, the current, wash of the water on the shore and the sound of the Pelicans fishing. It was a very quiet and still spot and we have not seen another sailboat for a week or more.
Mark cooked a delicious supper of pasta aioli and lobster. It went down very well with some Riesling. It is very hot and the bugs are out as I write this and we now believe we have frog song as well. We expect to stay another day and explore and watch the weather before we head to the Galapagos.
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