Winter (Summer) Solstice

We've finally figured out why we're so tired. We've been sleeping close to 10 hours each night, when, back home, this is the time of year we usually gear up for later nights and tons of energy. Lately, we've been crashing at 8 p.m. and having trouble awakening at 6 a.m. to get school started by 7. What's up with that? we wondered.

We're in the southern hemisphere is what's up. June 21 is the shortest day of the year. Sunlight hours have been getting shorter, instead of longer as we're used to. It's winter here.

Not that there's not a lot of sunlight. It's gorgeous, consistently 85 degrees everyday but none of the ridiculous heat and discomfort of Mexico. But as the days got shorter, we have found we've needed more and more sleep. And we're craving carbs and hybernating a whole lot more than we're used to doing in June.

It's really amazing what your body knows without you even thinking about it.

-Barb
En route Fakarava to Tahiti (when written)
Anchored in Papeete (when posted)
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At 6/24/2011 02:46 (utc) our position was 17°28.37'S 149°00.88'W