25 58.8/123 50.5
South Pacific Ocean
Winds 11-13 knots 090 mag
COG 285 mag/SOG 7 kn
A very pretty morning dawns today with broken light clouds above us and what I percieve to be the front line behind us. As predicted and at 26 10S, the wind dropped abruptly (around 3AM/1000 GMT) and we have had a steady 11 - 14 knots from the east since then. Wind waves are dropping slowly, but it will take a while for the southerly seas to follow in kind.
The cockpit is once again inviting this morning in contrast to the past few days when simply being outside in the 25 - 30 kn winds seemed fatiquing, and from the cockpit I count only 4 flying fish on deck, hold the squid, hold the squink. We are sailing with only our code 0/reacher (one of Doyles fantastic sails) out and we will pole it out a bit later as the wind backs to the east. We will possibly fly a dual headsail downwind configuration, if the seas permit. The reacher has been a workhorse for us, and will need some TLC in Papeete.
Jo had saved one pre-cooked meal for nights like last night, and we had lemon chicken, quinoa (sp), and salad, plus some video time which was a nice change. Cooking will be easier over the next several days with diminishing winds, but we need to make good time towards Pitcairn because wind will nearly disappear over the next 24 hours. Stopping at Pitcairn is always a bit iffy, as anchorages there almost make Easter seem like a protected haven. Hence, we will need to decide whether either of the eastern (Bounty Bay) or northern (Ted's Side) anchorages will be tennable in south swells with a light NNW wind.
It feels like we are over the hump. We sailed 169 nm 6A - 6A yesterday, and we are 338nm from Pitcairn, and 630 nm from Mangareva Island, Gambiers. We will leave a hatch open tonight for Elijah.
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