The Doldrums: Position: 7.48N, 125.24W

Motored for ten hours, now bobbing around waiting for wind.. Fresh tuna for
dinner tonight. Reading Melville's "Taipee" in prep for Nuku Hiva.

We had gingerbread and Stollen for x-mas.

Turning West. Position: 18.01N, 119.35W

Certain that the wind will not change, impossible to get to Mexico. Today
turned around with new target: Marquesas.

High Seas

Position: 24 degrees 46 minutes North, 122 degrees 34 minutes West. 1070 miles from San Francisco.We had a good first couple of days with average speed of 6 knots. Tuesday we crossed the California/Mexico boarder 180 miles off-shore. Blue water sailing rules! I feel like I've never done anything else in my life.Plastic flotsam and marine mammal sightings are tied 2:2Ran out of wind for two days, then rain, then lots of rain, confused seas, lots of wind, then no wind. It's warmer though, took my first saltwater bucket bath on deck today.Love you all.

departure

we are leaving saturday, at noon. today, friday, when tracy and i came
back from shopping for fresh food, veggies and fruit, holger had hoisted
the signal flag for the letter "P", also called the "blue peter", it means
the ship is leaving port. ever since then everything is different. i had
drinks and dinner with peter; and jeff and company were there too, it was
good to say goodbye, talk with real people. we're leaving...i feel good
about it. i'm ready.
so the pictures i wanted to post yesterday didn't come through, i'll try
to add them now, but it might not work, so. please forgive me and just
imagine me being on a cool boat.
love and i will try to update as much as i can.

two more pix

- Holger, Tracy and Moana, my crew mates until we pick up Ira and Dennis in Mexico
- and a view of Lord Jim at the dock in this horrible weather, i'm glad i'm not in the ocean right now

just as i wrote this a big gust hit the boat and things went flying on deck that weren't properly secured yet. all is good but it was a little panic attack and reality check. now everything is secured - i hope. the wind is already shifting, so it should be over in a couple of hours.
we just looked at the weather and the high is coming south bringing wind from the right direction, NW, a lot. so this might delay our departure another day to avoid really choppy seas.

happy december

the weather is miserable. i went to bed really early yesterday and slept until 9:30 this morning. it is so dark outside, i missed my automatic waking hour at 6:30 am... I guess it is good to get some rest before we leave. since there is nothing really to do but wait, i went around taking some pictures for you all, so, not much text but lots to look at here:
- my bunk
- the galley with more cleaning stuff to put away
- the saloon, still set up as home office
- the fo'c'sl stowed with lots of sails, the outboard and the potato basket
- the luxurious head (bathroom)