Made it!
Puerto Lucia! and in a med mooring for the night. The shore is tantalizingly close - but just out of reach. I'd have to launch the dinghy to get there - it's simply too much work - so I'm going to have a bite to eat and a good nights sleep. It's kind of weird as there is absolutely zero movement.
Tomorrow they haul me out and the work should, might, hopefully... begin!
Scattered Winston's ashes.
A pod of dolphins were frolicking in the bow wave. I sat on the pulpit seat, told him I loved him and let him go. The dolphins then turned and left. I'd like to think he was with them. I certainly felt a much lonely person when he had gone. I was gutted.
Finally sighted land! Isla de la Palata a small island off the coast of Ecuador. I was on deck cleaning some of the rust stains (it's amazing what 10 days of saltwater over the decks will do to a boat - the amusing thing was that rust stains on my windward side ran up the deck (against the camber) a feature of having been pointing to wind for the last 900 miles ish!)
There is next to no wind and the sea state is quite flat - so it's a pleasure being able to easily move about below!
It's going to be touch and go wether I make my destination by nightfall - I'm optimistic that I'll have enough light to anchor by else I shall just wait offshore for the night.
Finally crossed the equator at dusk. Not quite sure what the protocol is. So we (winston attended in casket) had fancy dress (I seem to recall that it is necessary) - I came as a scruffy bloke wearing a ladies hat - Winston also had a ladies hat. We asked the king for permission to cross the equator. We offered a drink to the King of the sea - raised a glass. Then a symbolic dunking of the equator virgins (looked more like a christening). And we were on our way. It was quite fun - we'll i guess you had to be there. I guess we didn't quite get it right because shortly afterwards the wind finally died....