Hi
We are due into Hiva Oa this afternoon, all being well. No sight of land yet. In many ways the time has passed incredibly quickly, although night watches with no stars have been long. We feel a real sense of achievement having done (or almost done) the passage. There is a three and a half hour difference between the Marquesas and the Galapagos. We have noticed the time change as we have gone along, and have altered our meal times in line with the sun, rather than our watches, which for ARC purposes are still on Galapagos time.
Last night the stars were fabulous before the moon rose, and the sea was quite flat which aids star watching. It has been good to learn many of the unfamiliar southern constellations. My new favourite is Scorpius, which is a wonderfully shaped large constellation.
Through binoculars last night I also saw the 'jewel box' - breathtaking. It is a beautiful cluster of bright stars just above the coalsack in the southern cross - also managed to see some other clusters, double stars and nebulae. The trails of phosphorescence were also particularly good last night and were of what I call the flashlight type. There appear to be two or three types of phosphorescence. In the Caribbean I have only seen the sort which is like masses of bright sparks. In the Pacific it seems to be more a diffuse glow of varying colour with a few sparks and sometimes, as last night, punctuated by great flashes of white light which light up all the surrounding water.
Anyway, enough of waxing lyrical. We now have to get the boat ready for arrival - I only hope we can find some sort of laundry facility, but not holding out much hope until we get to another, more developed island. We have finished the bananas and will finish the pumpkin as soup this lunchtime. Still have plenty of cheese, salami and chorizo left, and lots of cans. All in all the boat has done well, although we have had to do a number of running repairs and are currently trying to fix a batten fitting on the mainsail. We hope to fix the wind generator when we get to Tahiti as we have ordered new blades to arrive there. The water-maker has been great. All the drinking water we could consume, plus showers every day and fresh water for washing and washing up.
Just seen land - island of mohatani - uninhabited with sheer cliffs and volcanic peaks.
All the best from the crew of Lady Kay