We crossed the 1,500 mile mark from the Galapagos to the Marquesas passage on day 8. One of the highlights was watching the Superbowl using the StarLink connection. The routine stuff includes sail changes, stargazing, playing games, watching movies, reading, exercising, and listening to music. I always look forward to a morning coffee while relaxing in the cockpit and keeping in touch with family, friends, and the outside world. Mealtime is something to look forward to and there are 3 excellent and creative cooks aboard (disclaimer: I’m not one). We’ve had Coconut Chicken Curry, Focaccia Pizza, Seared Mahi Mahi, Tuna Wraps, and Moroccan Tagine. Our fresh produce is winding down but we’ve got plenty of pasta, canned goods, and some frozen meat.

The wind speed and direction varied the first few days of the passage. We averaged 172 miles/day over the first 5 days. That’s a 7.2 knot average. As we settled into the more consistent and stronger trade winds starting on day 6, the average speed went to 9.1 knots and we averaged 219 miles/day. The advantage of performance Catamarans in terms of speed and comfort is remarkable.

Sunset Green Flash

Every day brings fabulous sunrises and sunsets. One particular evening I was on deck watching the sun disappear over the horizon and witnessed the Green Flash. This phenomenon is a prismatic affect produced by atmospheric refraction of light. It causes objects near the horizon to appear slightly higher in the sky than they really are. Refraction is stronger for green light than it is for yellow and red light (RoyGBiv) and results in a brief flash of green fringe on the upper edge of the sun. I’ve seen many sunsets at sea and this was the first time I saw the green flash.

Comparison to a previous passage on Apropos

When I did a similar passage 10 years ago (Mexico to the Marquesas), we had 4 aboard a Hans Christian 43. As you can see, there’s a big difference when it comes to space and comfort. A monohull heels and rolls a lot more than a catamaran, so doing anything below deck is difficult offshore. We averaged 126 miles/day over a 23-day passage. Right now we’re sailing comfortably at 9-10 knots and making up to 228 miles/day. I love the traditional look and seaworthiness of my HC43 and am glad we did that trip, but this passage has definitely opened my eyes to Catamarans.