On the heaving bosom of the ocean

We've been slogging to windward for 6 DAYS! Winds mostly 16-22kts NNE We're on double reef (lost top batten) main and the jib is rolled down to the size of a storm jib, just to keep the boat from pounding too hard. moderate seas. (2meters) a few refreshing showers. Pilot charts say wind is never out of the North here. (must request refund)
We've made 610 nmiles in 6 days,with 590nm to go..There's a stalled high to east. So no matter where we go,we get northerlies.
Bill says we may get 24 hours of southerlies tomorrow. Big deal

We considered waiting at Kermadecs or Minerva Reef. At Minerva, we'd have to deal with invading Fijian Navy.
Though since we've notified arrival in Fiji, maybe no hassle. But anyway we're pressing on. The boat's meant to go to windward,

The boat is mostly closed up and very stuff and everything is salty and damp. ugh.
It's not hot, but warm and muggy. Bill managed to fix MOST of the leaks. Doh!
We should have checked our horoscope before leaving not the gribs and pilot charts. Doh!

Mike Webster (RAYC-SYC exchange) is super crew. He's made this trip many times.
Once on his BOC boat. He said he beat for 7days. Imagine.that!

We have friends around to suffer with. incl Paikea Mist (Van BC) and {Passages) Maple Bay.
I bet it's refreshingly cool in PNW.

It's really hard to write on bouncing heeling boat. And I'm writing on Bill's laptop and the font is very small and hard to see. So forgive typos.
On this board we still get leaks into the nav station so we need to stow laptop a lot..

Kathi and Bill Cuffel

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