Calmer today

Short note today. The wind has died down a bit and the seas are less but still with a big rolly swell (our life for a while). We continue to pick up flying fish on deck as well as squid. The larger squid would be excellent fishing bait but we are not fishing. Right now the Honda 2000 watt generator is running on deck to charge the batteries although today the solar panels are getting some sun. We are making water too.

Life on board is in a routine. At night we are standing 3 hours on and 3 off for the 12 hour nights. The off watch sleeps with ear plugs in to deaden the banging and groaning of the boat. We spend quite a bit of time trying to find the squeaks and bangs and fix them. During the day we trim sails, have meals (Cindy is a saint to cook down below for her hungry skipper), work on the occasional project, make water, do emails, check in on radio nets, look at the ocean and birds and flying fish, read books (especially about the islands in the South Pacific), and have some naps. I need to start putting together a comprehensive list of all our gear on board for the Customs officials in French Polynesia. It has to be all inclusive or you will have to pay duty on what they find not on the list, and what is missing at the other side, as if we are bringing stuff in to make a profit. The French are very "official" about everything so we are going to hire an agent to do the worst of the paperwork (in French of course).

In three days we should get to our waypoint to turn due south to cross the ITCZ and the doldrums, which are supposedly 600nm across right now. I don't (or don't want to) believe that. What happens, happens. We just have to deal with it.

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