10.30am Slept well overnight - but battery voltage dropped too much so had to recharge, using generator, despite wind generator putting in quite a good amount with the strong following winds. Probably due to use of electronic autopilot which has been having to work hard with the big seas on passage so far.
I've been trying to get more offshore this morning & fortunately the wind had swung more into the N so that has made it just possible - otherwise I might have had to gybe onto starboard tack again to avoid the sudden shoaling of the seabed we were heading into nearer the coast further south. With the seas already big, that would have meant even bigger waves - something to avoid in strong conditions, if possible.
In fact, the wind is now lessening a touch - force 5, rather than the 5-6 previously. All the more reason to stay well offshore to keep the wind and not get into the coastal 'dead' zone. Boat speed is down to mostly under 7 kn. rather than the mid 7's I'd got use to seeing.
Midday... (Just had a 1 hr nap....no ships around) 24hr run by log: 170 n.ml. - almost as good as yesterday - I'm definitely not complaining at daily runs this good - will cut down passage time nicely! Sun shining, almost no cloud, air temp 16.6C. 65n.ml. due S of Turtle Bay (nr. Punta Eugenia), about halfway to Cabo St Lucas at the S. tip of the Baja. At least 4 days more to go. My course to Bahia de Navidad takes me close to Chamela, so that remains an option for anchoring in a nice big bay when
I get nearer.
1545 Life is never dull out here!! Just before 3pm, spotted 'Cielo di Genova' heading north directly for me, 16miles away - but no name or details, apart from MMSI no., showing on AIS display. Had great difficulty contacting them - didn't know whether they spoke English (may have been a local?) so tried in my bad Spanish as well. Eventually, got a response to lat/long position I gave - and they suddenly switched on their name & other details (but I noticed it all disappeared againlater). They
finally altered course a bit to starboard when I pointed out they would be getting too close (within half mile - too little in my book!) & told them I was sailing in difficult conditions. All ended well, with them passing a mile off my port bow - for which I thanked them & we wished each other 'bon voyage'. I mentioned that I was about to take off around the globe - and was promptly called up by a cruise ship 'Norwegian Star' who had overheard the VHF talk - they wanted to chat and asked me about
my sailing plans - very pleasant guy from the Phillipines who wished me well.
I was about to clean a fifth squid I'd obviously overlooked when I picked up four from on deck earlier ... they were going to make a late lunch - now looks more like early 'tea'..! I've lemon, so I'm about to fry them..... here goes! (Later) I never realized how much work was involved in cleaning off the outside skin of squid...shouldn't have cut them up so soon! (Later still) Sat watching the sunset as I ate those squid - yummeeee...! I had actually found a sixth one as I went to the aft deck
to get some potatoes from the crate there, so it all made a very good-sized dish.(Present from Poseidon? Or maybe from the Nereids..)
Will say goodnight as I head for the SSB to send this and my position report off - seem to have written rather a lot today!