In the Passage Groove

They say to be careful what you wish for. The winds have picked up and with them, the seas. Today in particular the wind was 'wonky' (to use the word our friend Lauren-boy of s/v Piko uses). It's been coming from the east for most of the time and today clocked around to the NE then ENE then NE then NNE then NW then N ... you get the picture. And now it's coming from the southeast. Go figure. We have been seeing steady 20 knots of true wind, although there have been periods of 25-30 knots. We're sailing with a double reefed main and only about a quarter of our jib out to try to make it a bit more comfortable, and we're still making speeds of about 6 to 7 knots. Only we're way off course too.

This part of the South Pacific is called the Dangerous Middle because the trade winds converge here - but I'm not so sure it's any more or less dangerous here than anywhere. It should be called instead the Uncomfortable Middle or the UnPredictable Middle or the Wonky Middle. The kids and I have been feeling a little seasick so dishes are left unwashed, table uncleared, still in our pj's and stuff all over the place. Showering has also become an impossibility. Leave the rest to your imagination. I think by the time we get to Rarotonga, it'll really look like a war zone.

Nonetheless, I still love passages. There's not a whole lot to do. Our meals become a much greater focal point - I loved the kids faces when they awoke to crepes for breakfast! Danielle cooked a mean minestrone with cornbread for tonight's dinner. We read a lot, sleep a lot (although not for any great stretches) and the kids have started homeschooling again. By Day 4 we're back in the groove.

-Barb
19 degrees 24.422 minutes South
157 degrees 41.038 minutes West
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At 8/7/2011 10:29 (utc) our position was 19°24.38'S 157°41.26'W

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