S21 26 W91 38 25May2015

Our son's birthday, and we used our Iridium phone to call him. He was driving home to Port Hardy after a tiring, but successful week end racing in the annual Swiftsure Race from Victoria BC.

Unlike him, after nearly 2 weeks at sea, we have run out of wind again and have been motoring in Dulcinea. All our batteries are charged, and the water-maker has been run, but the engine is still on to keep Dulcinea moving across a big empty sea.

We checked out from Valdivia 6th May, but the forecast changed and the break of S winds between strong northerlies became too short to move up the Chilean coast. We checked out again for 12th May and had a strong northerly blow that night at anchor. Then, set out for Juan Fernandez Islands (Robinson Crusoe Island), but had to bypass them, and duck up the coast to avoid more strong NW winds on the bow.

Our Swiss friends on Klepper left at the same time, but then anchored out the strong winds.

After a week ghosting north along the coast, almost parallel to Antofogasta, we rounded the corner of the S Pacific High and turned west. At about 22 S, we picked up some glorious winds and made westings over 200 miles per day.

When about 80 miles off shore, we picked up a poor young, white, heron, who seemed way out of his depth. Unlike previous stow-aways he has been feeding well on squid, found on the decks many mornings, and thriving. Whenever we get busy with a job outside, he comes to inspect the progress. Our cabin is "out-of-bounds" but he stares at us through the windows, and has had to be picked up and lifted outside twice. Jan has become his surrogate mother, and today he would only eat when hand fed by her. He is named "Earl", although, we do not know if it is a "He".

Next stop: Easter Island - a further 1,000 miles. If the weather prevents that: Pitcairn Island 2,200 miles on: Failing that Mangareva in French Polynesia.

Life has been good. Books are being read. Movies have been watched on the computer. Card games have been played. And the food has been fantastic.

Best wishes from the crew of Dulcinea

Jan, Dave, Kris, Erik, & Earl the egret