Ok…I admit it, apparently I get spoiled fast. First dozens of dolphins turnout, dancing in our bow wave to welcome us to the Galapagos. Next up, entering Admiralty Bay, it was the spectacular leaping, dancing, and spinning rays getting really big air, however just as I finished my skippers anchoring chores I happened to glance over the side and there, ominously, swimming just a meter or two off of Escape Velocity was the shimmering shape of a large shark. This had a dampening effect on crew, with any thought of a celebratory swim.
The ominous omen didn’t take long to reveal itself in the guise of our diesel generator. It was wash day aboard EV and that means the genny has to fire up to power the washer/dryer because it doesn’t seem to like our DC/AC inverter. Things started out alright but in a few minutes the breakers popped off and wouldn’t reset. What followed was a synopsis of all things electric that mysteriously stop working aboard EV. Days spent in frustration with the kind and patient guidance of fellow Manta owners emailing tips and suggestions, however the generator is located down in the forward hull and you just can’t find a more uncomfortable place to try to work on a boat, and I did it for three days straight. Tom on Dancing Bear stopped by to pronounce the final kibosh on the generator, just before we left for Islas Isabela, but this gave us a very late start. Our agent tried to help by sending out a mechanic the night before but he only spoke Spanish and understood even less English. What a fiasco-lesson learned.
So…as I say, late starts make for late arrivals, so the math to destination started very early and it was not looking good for a daylight passage through the reefs, shoals, and rocks into Puerto Villamil. We had very little wind but all of it on the nose so when we hit adverse currents and our speed dropped we increased our one engine cruise speed 300 rpm which helped a little but when the sun started to drop from the sky behind a cloud bank we fired up our second engine and added another 200 rpm because we were losing this race. If only we had some wind from a decent direction. Yeah that’s what we need, Dr. breeze. What’s it doing blowing from the WSW anyhow?
Finally, with a combination of an improving current, cutting a corner or two, and lots of BP’s best we flew into, let’s agree to call it, a post dusk Puerto Villamil. We must have looked like Krammer bursting into Jerry’s apartment. Marce chose a great spot and the anchor splashed down bathed under our foredeck lights.
No sharks in evidence.
You guys Rock! It is hard to keep Catamarans moving but you guys do great! Our Cat, Angel Louise is growling for some money again. Here in South England – fortunately a lot of specialists- we are worried about Wind Gen replacement and removing and replacing all our 8 battery Grp 31 AGM batteries. Its always something but at least we got our little Honda 2000 generator working like new again. Ed & Sue
Scary! But you cope so well with these emergency situations. I’m in awe.