Can't understand why I can't make myself heard to 'Jade' and 'Wyntersea'who are also headed to the Marquesas (they left from Manzanillo, Mon & Tues respectively) who arranged to keep in contact on a radio 'net' each morning. I can hear them as clear as a bell, but they can't hear me - and yet my signal, I've been told, is strong & I'm getting out to Winlink & Sailmail regularly - puzzling. 'Skip zone'..?
OK - so I poled out the genoa to weather early, hoping the light wind was veering to NE from NNE - I should have known better than to tempt fate like that - the wind backed, into the north - so down came the pole - BUT the wind picked up nicely soon after midday so now we're humming along nicely on a beam reach again with Hermann, the Windpilot, steering...!!
All very relaxed on board - about to get down to some reading. Tea-time has become a regular feature - I'm glad I stocked up on biscuits! I sit sipping my tea, gazing at the sea & sky & watch the occasional boobies - sometimes a gannet. Also on the wildlife side, there's always the regular early morning job of clearing away the flying fish that have inevitably landed on deck overnight.
On the jobs front, I need to change the generator oil... but I have mended that broken live lead on the 12V connector. Meant getting out the soldering iron (I decided to use a fine-tipped butane-powered one) but all went quite smoothly - maybe I learned a little watching Ray Marchetta do so many soldered wire connections in San Diego where he helped me with my electrical problems..?
Noontime position (1800GMT): 14deg 12' N; 108deg 54' W . 24hr distance run by log: 111 n.ml.