Day 12

Day 12 4/10/06 3:31 am
Coordinates............ 02 53.680N, 129 00.767W
Heading................ approx. 180 when motoring, 210 when sailing
Boat speed..............6 knots
24 hr total nm .........165 nautical miles (NM)
miles total since MX....approx. 1770 nm
Wind direct. & speed....W/SW 8 knots
Swell direct. & ht .....NE 3 - 6 ft.
Cloud cover.............85%
Barometer...............992

Wow, we are knocking down those latitudes now. It was pretty exciting when we crossed into that 5N parallel. Each one closer towards the equator brings excitement. We all circle around the radio, which happens to list our latitude/longitude, and watch it click down to the next whole latitude,
(i.e. 03 00.000N), much like you would watch your car click over to 100,000 miles. The things you do for enjoyment on a boat. We have begun to plan our party for crossing the equator. It is customary to throw a special celebration by paying homage to King Neptune, offering him up some of your most expensive libation over board, saying the few appropriate words of thanks for letting us cross and we will ceremoniously turn from polywogs into shell backs. The title bestowed on those who have crossed the equator on water. We will let you know how the party goes in a couple of days.

All three boats traveling near us have begun their descent as well, turning left as we say. It was rather anticlimactic for us. You envision sailing west, west, west, for days and then there was to be this big change of the sails, change of course and just like Peter Pan, turn and follow the star straight on till morning. The way the winds were hitting us, all we had to do was angle a little farther south. It is as though we are continuing to slide down a never ending hill. We did have glorious wind for the last 24 hours. No less than 20 knots charging us along. The rain showers continued on more than off as well for the last 24 hours. Luckily never packing more punch than we were ready for. Just as of 8pm tonight I believe that would be 1400 utc/zulu time or 10 pm Pacific time (I'm getting the hang of this I think), the winds died down sufficiently that we had to begin our motoring phase of getting through the dulldrums. Maybe we will finally get to recharge all the poor electronics on the boat.

The first few boats that starting the crossing early are beginning to make landfall in Hiva Oa, the first port of entry. Each day at noon we listen to the west bound or Puddle Jump Net and I can usually count up to 25 boats or so that are crossing. A few are traveling to Hawaii but most are heading our direction. It is rather exciting to hear their whoops of joy and exclamations as they describe seeing land. Let's us know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I just checked our course and there are less than 200 miles to the equator and less than 1,000 miles to the Islands, but whose counting.
It's all downhill from here. :)

until next time,
love lisa and the boys