Finishing Strong

Aloha -

Well...about a week ago, Kalepa made a comment about finishing our voyage strong.  He certainly is getting what he asked for! Yesterday afternoon, the winds picked up to about 30kts and the seas to 10-15 ft. This morning, using the bathroom was an exercise in survival: the winds on the bow are so strong that you blow backwards as you try to walk forwards. We are all much more adept at catching a bucket of water quickly, before the bucket catches you. There is no "dry" anymore, although I am trying hard to keep most of me dry by wearing full foul weather gear and a hat at all times.

It is a wild scene outside, but it is ALIVE.  The spray blows off the waves sideways, and in the early morning sun, ghostly rainbows raced along our beam, appearing and vanishing with the mist.  Moeata decided that that's what ghosts ought to look like. Waves crash regularly over the bow, sometimes burying one side or the other in white wash and aqua seas.  Some waves even crash over the fare, and those inside cringe and feel happy to be dry.  J-B took about 6 showers this morning, getting completely drenched repeatedly.  If you're outside, you just take it and laugh...there's nothing else to do!  Herve always thanks Ta'aroa for the blessing, and he's correct in that.  It is a blessing to be out here, where the world is alive and still free of our control.

E Taa'roa e
e tono mai ra i to maramarama

Kanaloa - bring us your wisdom...

We are currently at 21 degrees 28 minutes S, 150 degrees 32 minutes W, having passed Rurutu in the night. We are still aiming at the east side of Tahiti, although Hikianalia seems to have slid about 50 miles to the east.

Back to singing in the fare with Herve and J-B...

Ms. Fuller