Today is day 18 and it’s the longest we’ve ever been at sea. Although we are not alone, having 5 non paying passengers who have taken up residence on our bow sprit. Their hygiene and toileting habits are fairly dire and they can’t stand a night watch so they are not the most welcome of guests, our freeloading red footed boobies! They are bizarre looking birds, so if you don’t know what one looks like, google it and you too can join in the experience of smiling at these crazy looking creatures.

We’re at the point where days are melting into one another. The catering department stands out though. We had fish and chips last night. Posh fish and chips no less…..fresh yellowfin tuna marinated in lime juice with sautéed potatoes and a side order of top notch cabbage, onion, garlic and ginger. Followed by tinned peaches. We are at sea and a can now and then is obligatory and I really like tinned peaches. Mixed fruit is disappointing and pineapple should only be used to make cakes. Things like figs are other worldly and prunes pass muster but only at breakfast time.

Fishing in the Pacific has been less successful than in the Atlantic. We’ve lost 3 lures….maybe the fish are just bigger here, and we have no more spare line. When it’s gone, it’s gone. Resources are finite on Grace. Good job we’re stocked up on loo roll and tinned peaches.

Our purple patch of hyper galactic speed is now behind us as currents have eased. Daily runs of 190, 194, 174, 178, 209, 195 have been followed by a more subdued 135 today. It’s weird to think we’ve been on the constant move for so many days now. Sometimes I forget this.

Tactics wise, we are still above the equator, but starting to curve down in a south westerly direction. There’s a current roundabout ahead. No it’s not a new offering at Greggs the bakers. It could be the British version of a Danish pastry though. Grace needs to position herself to ride the south going anti-clockwise current then hop out to the right and join the current down to the Marquesas.

I shall stick my head briefly above the parapet here. It may prove a foolish move. Time will determine. I’m surmising an arrival between 15th and 17th July. Dave has just gone for 40 winks and he departed pointing at the Speed Over Ground instrument saying, “don’t let that drop below 5”. So far I’m being successful doing nothing more than delivering a brief glance every so often. Sailing through telepathy.

Scores on the doors if you’re interested.
Current position 01 31.13N. 116 16.33W
Speed over ground 5.8 knots
Distance to go. As always it’ll be more than this, 1557, meaning we’ve done 2283.