Settling in to the Marquesas
Day 11 from Panama to the Marquesas. 1,418 nautical miles of 3,800.
We’ve settled into a nice rhythm by now with a 3 hour watch schedule around the clock. Tonight, I’m doing the 6 pm to 9pm shift and will be back on again tomorrow morning from 6 am to 9 am. We keep the schedule rolling with a double shift in the middle of the day. This way everybody gets to experience sunsets and sunrises at the helm, the full moon while we have it, and the new moon towards the end of our trip when the stars will be popping.
The eleven days have somehow flown by. We all tend to be up and about from mid-morning to early evening. Usually a slow start with coffee and lounging followed by a chore or two. Mid-day we fold out the cockpit table and play dominos or card games. After that, perhaps a nap, a book or a podcast. Yoga or exercises up on deck is also part of the routine for some of us (yes, it gets bouncy up there - seated or lying down is the way). One person has dinner duty and prepares the meal and cleans up. We’ve eaten very well so far, but are starting to run low on fresh vegetables.
The weather report is a big event twice a day when the various weather models post new data. We pour over the forecasts and plot out new waypoints. Energy management is another daily focus. The solar panels meet our needs on most days, but the batteries sometimes need to be topped up with the generator. We also run the water maker to ensure that our tanks are near full. Inspecting sails, rigging and other gear every day is important as well. Sailing offshore for days on end takes its toll on the equipment and we need to prevent problems or catch them early.
So eleven days and a third of the way to the Marquesas. The remaining stretch should be faster now that we have reached the trade winds. We expect another 13-14 days before dropping anchor. If the trip continues as it has so far, it will be over in a blink!
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