We started work on the boat in earnest on our return from the Galapagos . Baringo was on the hard for a few more days and we stayed in a nearby hotel in La Libertad , adequate but not luxurious ! We ate at the deserted Puerto Yacht Club where the restaurant had about 5 waiters and as many cooks and although we were usually the only diners, it still took around 35 minutes for the food to be produced! Luckily the TV worked much better than the internet and we could watch some football for light relief . Monday 30^th June was the day Baringo re-entered the water at 5.00pm with the high tide .A nerve racking few moments but all went well and we parked over in the marina .The next day the sails went up and Glynis and I bought the provisions for the long voyage as the supermarket here was closer to the boat, only the fresh food was left until later .Malcolm and John were given free rein for their shopping and it now seems there will be no shortage of wine!

We set sail at dawn on 3.7.2014 heading NE up the Ecuadorian coast for Bahia De Caraquez about 120 nm .With no wind in the early morning we had to motor but around 10.30 the wind strengthened from the SW so a great direction and we had a very good sail until late evening .We had full main and big jenny and made excellent speed .We had the privilege of the company of many dolphins one group actually changed their southerly course to join us for about 30 minutes .Then we spotted the whales and they spotted us. It is the star of the annual migration from Antarctica to Panama .They were jumping out of the water ,spouting and flicking their tails rather too close for comfort but luckily they did not show any great interest in us after their initial examination .It was quite a spectacle .

We made good speed and arrived at Bahia de Caraquez in the late evening and the night watch was enlivened by ghost ships unlit accompanying the squid fishing boats. Luckily the wind had quietened so we were able to sail slowly towards the anchorage and avoided collision. We anchored in almost the same spot as last year and as before it was very rolly so the arrival of dawn was very welcome ..when is it not at sea … and the pilot Pedro appeared to guide us in with the high tide .

Once up the river all was calm and we anchored and had a warm welcome from Puerto Amistad club .

We spent the next few days finishing of the boat tasks, watching the football and shopping and eating. I think we are ready to start the voyage with four hands and brains on deck it had been a much shorter process until we struck the problem of only having a photocopy of the vital document , the original had been handed in at Puerto Lucia 9 months ago and could not be found. Two hundred US$ later another one was produced ….. so make your own judgement on that one !

I hope there will be another blog about our journey in about 3 weeks time !

Baringo at anchor outside Puerto Amistad yacht club in Bahia de Caraquez