A brief definition would be: a zone between the belts of easterly trade winds in both hemispheres, located on either side of the equator and depending on season continuously varying in shape and size. It is characteristically a low-pressure area and often completely becalmed. The temperatures and humidity are generally high and often interrupted by localized thunderstorms with heavy rain and strong winds. This may create uncomfortable conditions and delay a sailing yacht’s progress.
In reality this means little to no wind for days, followed possibly by unpredictable wind and rain. Add to this mix a 3-5m tide difference and all sorts of currents and mysterious counter currents then you might understand it a bit more.
We studied the pilot charts and they indicated that we missed the more favorable weather conditions by about a month. We collected weather forecasts from various sources, read reports on the net from previous crossings and the clear messages were– fill up your tanks to the max!! and get ready to motor.
Rather than waiting in a marina we used the Archipelago de Las Perlas in the Gulf of Panama as a jumping board for the next opportune weather window. Wind and tide against us made for a slow progress though and we arrived just after dark in a pitch-black night with flashes of lightning guiding us to our anchorage, announcing rain. Isla Contadora is the most developed island of the archipelago with an airstrip and sealed roads crisscrossing the small island. It is also the home of Günther, a [guess what] German and resident on the island for 29 years who runs the ‘Pacific Island Net’ HF radio station. Part of the [guess what] German Trans Ocean network he is the focal point of a west-bound sailing community and ‘shepherds’ them right across the Pacific to Australia and NZ. We visited him and his 3 dogs and 13 cats in the rambling house perched on the edged of a cliff overlooking the sea and listened for a few hours to the many stories he had to tell. We were initiated into his ‘Pacific family’ and allocated number 1327, promising to report daily on 14135Mhz at 00 hours UTC. We left behind a few bottles of French red wine, the least we could do to tie him over the long hours he spends in the middle of the night on the radio. G… bless all these radio freaks as this is all run on a volunteer basis.
Afterwards we strolled across the islands and dined at [guess what] Gerald’s – Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and Bratkartoffeln and cold Bier, while the heavens opened around us to the most amazing tropical deluge. This forced us to have homemade Apfelstrudel with vanilla ice cream. Afterwards we searched our way back to the beach, drained the lake out of our dinghy and made our way back to the boat.
We upped anchor the next morning for Isla Pedro Gonzalez in the southern part of the archipelago. We found a deserted and protected bay with a sandy and palm-studded beach, a great launch pad for the Galapagos. After another day at anchor we decided that the good weather window was never to come and on May 21 we left for the Galapagos. The watch plan was worked out with 2 hours on / 4 hours off and the experienced Atlantic transit crew of three was settling into the motion of what was to come for the next 4000 miles or about 6 weeks …
Surprisingly we found some wind while weaving our way out of the Las Perlas islands. After a few hours though the wind died down and we started to motor. The general plan was to head directly south until 07 degree north, then change course towards the Galapagos.
It started off well, but then all turned out different – the current for no apparent reason changed against us, the wind kept coming exactly out of the direction we wanted to go and motoring into wind and waves and current for 900 miles was simply no option. For the following 9 days our track looked like a zigzag trying to adjust to all the wind changes we experienced. The current stayed persistently against us with 2-3 knots and progress was tediously slow, interrupted by squalls, bumpy sea and then … completely becalmed again and no choice but to motor. In the midst of all that, some 350 miles from any coast a small fishing boat appeared from nowhere alerting us to some fishing lines they laid out. I checked the depth and it was about 3000m ?? Thank you very much we said and handed over 2 cold beers !!!!
Originally we allocated 10 days for the passage and in the end this was exactly what it took. We arrived May 30 during a wonderful sunset at Academy Bay, Port Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz. Like with child birth – the pain was immediately forgotten ….
While struggling with the weather we still had time to do a few loads of washing, have a swim hanging on a line off the back of the boat, make [shitty] friends on the fore deck, check out where exactly we were and collect the suicidal squids we found on deck in the mornings and cook it up into a delicious meal.
On May 30 at 0440h we crossed the equator at right angle and an apparition of Neptune appeared out of the depth of the ocean and insisted on baptizing the uninitiated sailors crossing latitude 0 for the first time with a bucket of cold sea water !!!
Also called the Archipelago de Colon, the Galapagos Islands derived their name from the buccaneers and whalers who wrote on the backs of the giant land tortoises referring to their massive shells as ‘saddleback’, meaning Galapagos. Due to the geographic location the cluster of volcanic islands remained isolated for millions of years and many species developed in a unique way. Stopping here during the voyage with HMS Beagle heavily influenced Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Since humans have arrived on the scene, the environment has changed dramatically and several species are already extinct or are threatened with extinction. What is left however is still a unique place and the Ecuadorian government is doing its best to maintain a status quo. The fauna and flora is simply extraordinary. Puerto Ayora is the hub of the Galapagos and a breath of fresh air compared to the cities we visited previously like Santo Domingo, Cartagena in Colombia or Colon in Panama. The Ecuadorian people are open and friendly, there is no crime [no one wants to get into your pockets] and the atmosphere is very convivial.
3 more days here enjoying the wild life and then we will head off on the longest uninterrupted passage of the trip – 3000 miles towards the Marquesas islands, hopefully again downwind following the easterly trade winds. At least the pilot charts promise this ……
