Apr 06, 2005 – 1130hrs UTC

1130hrs 06 Apr 2005 UTC Map Ref 152

Big Hi from the boot feralsInteresting biological colonies that grow and fester in seaboots. There are left foot ferals and right foot ferals and occasionally they get to cross breed and create fierce hybrids.Interesting biological colonies that grow and fester in seaboots. There are left foot feralsInteresting biological colonies that grow and fester in seaboots. There are left foot ferals and right foot ferals and occasionally they get to cross breed and create fierce hybrids. and right foot feralsInteresting biological colonies that grow and fester in seaboots. There are left foot ferals and right foot ferals and occasionally they get to cross breed and create fierce hybrids. and occasionally they get to cross breed and create fierce hybrids., who are slowly getting used to sunshine. Fast breeders, lots of mutations, I guess. Other wildlife – a brownish black seabird, about a metre span, white beak, white ring around its eyes. Sits on the water and watches us and looks a bit like a waterhen when doing so. And small fish are washing up on deck at night. I know that’s at least ambi-ambiguous – take it any way you fancy – they seem to be baby flying fish – grey blue with two large fins either side, only about 4cm long.

This leg is going to be a long hard hack, I think. Quite slow progress – almost exactly my recent marathon pace, in fact, and about a third of the world’s best time. Paula’s best time about twice as fast. Niggly things starting to go a bit awry – KevvoStainless steel self steering device, built by Kevin Fleming, used on Berrimilla and countless others’s bearings, noisy rudder bearings with some shaft movement, nothing really serious but enough to occupy the mind of a boatminder like me – all made somewhat harder because proximity to S.Am. coast makes it all seem so slow. At least in the open Pacific, there wasn’t that constant reminder. Keep those emails coming, please – brightens each day no end.