svbeachhouse

Category: By Voyage Blog

  • Manta Ray Bay…..More stuff…..

    June 26-27-28, 2011

    Dear F&F, Oh My!

    June 26-27 We headed to Waya Island and found it frankly not overly interesting so we continued on to Manta Ray Bay Island to see the Manta Rays….not so much. We anchored next to friends on s/v \”Wetnose\” and settled in for the night. That night we went on a night dive and it was fun, but devoid of lots of the creatures I would have expected. Kate thoroughly enjoyed it; it was my first night dive in over a decade. I\’d forgotten how much I loved them.

    That night, a low pressure system came over us and it started to BLOW! 25 knots steady with gusts to 40 knots. Our plan was to move to Somosomo Bay the next morning for protection and when we tried to raise the anchor, all heck broke loose. The \”geneker\” opened up unexpectedly and tore itself to shreds. It may not be repairable. I\’ll find out tomorrow from local sail maker Alan Marshall. The windlass again failed and we could not raise the anchor. We were completely safe and decided to call it a day. I dove the anchor to make sure it wasn\’t stuck on a coral \”bommie\”; it wasn\’t. So we will use \”lift bags\” in the morning to raise the anchor chain and anchor then put it away by hand.

    June 28th We got up early, had breakfast and I went diving to buoy up the anchor. No drama and the gals helped me pull it up and stow it away. We\’ll have to head back to Vuda Point YET AGAIN to see if it can be fixed or move the stern windlass to the bow.

    Upon arrival, Lorenzo of \”Baobab Marine\” determined it was a bent part on the windlass that was causing the problem. We\’ve fixed that and will thoroughly test it tomorrow.

    Kate will be going on another catamaran off to Musket tomorrow and off to New Zealand by air the next day, we\’ll miss her.

    When we came in Vuda Point, we got stuck on our starboard engine with a mooring line. I dove that to remove it…..life goes on.

    I\’ll keep you posted on repairs and Sandrine and I will most likely head directly toward Savusavu over several days starting in a few days.

    My phone was \”drowned\”, and I\’ll get a new one tomorrow.

    KIT, Scott with the crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine and Kate – for one more day)

  • Musket Cove, Boat Projects yet again…..

    June 21st, 2011

    Dear F&F,

    After Sandrine arrived at Vuda Point, the three of us went provisioning with our favorite taxi driver Abdul and then off to Musket Cove with the best of intentions to cruise the Mamanuca and Yaswawa Groups of Western Fiji. Kate will leave soon and wants to get in some more diving in (including her first NIGHT DIVE). We arrived as Musket, 2 hours from Vuda and spent a lovely few days diving the pinnacle and Sandrine got to \”fly\” in her aerial silks. (See PHOTO GALLERY).

    Then we had another couple of \”boat problems\”. Ah, you remember boats?! Our generator\’s fuel starvation problem became worse to the point where it wouldn\’t stay running with any load on it. So, I went to Plan B and charged the batteries with the engines. The starboard engine then started to make this horrific sound. It was the high power alternator completely off the engine mount. I thought it was the new bearings gone bad, but wanted to check.

    The next morning, I laid prostrate to the engine and did my slithering reptile \”boat boy\” best to put it all back into place. Started her up and……(drum roll). It sounded just the same! So back to Vuda Point we went after I took it all apart again.

    GOOD NEWS all around: Generator. \”Atherosclerosis of the fuel lines\” Cleaned them out, changed filters, cleaned the filter housings and it works. This problem started a year ago, the guys here at Baobab Marine diagnosed and fixed it in 1/2 a day. Little did you all know that ALGAE grows in fuel. On your car, you use it so much and the gas stations tanks are so well used that water doesn\’t collect in their (or YOUR) fuel tanks. In the marine world, not so much! We don\’t use the fuel that fast as we store a lot and the humidity allows water in the tanks. Then algae grows and life can become miserable. We use biocides and water decontamination treatments, but after awhile, Mr. Bug (algae) can win. I had the tanks cleaned out in New Zealand, but the fuel lines and filter housings were forgotten. And now you know…..the rest of the story.

    Alternator: The new bracket I had installed in New Zealand was rubbing against the belts. Re-shaped it, put back, we\’re good to go! Baobab comes through yet again.

    Off to Navadra (pronounced Navandra) Island tomorrow.

    KIT, Scott and the Crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine and Kate)

    Internet is not good here but I can download emails via sailmail at beachhouse51@gmail.com

  • Castaway Island, Navadra Island, s/v Wetnose and YES, boat projects yet again!…..

    June 23rd, 2011

    Dear F&F,

    We fueled up, left for Navadra and passed \”Castaway Island\”. This is where Tom Hanks movie \”Castaway\” was filmed. We also were on the path of a literally UNCHARTED Island and reef which if we hadn\’t been paying attention (but of course we were), we would have run right over. It\’s only 100 yards long, but that\’s enough to ruin your entire day….. I marked it on my electronic chart for future use and we anchored in Navadra (pronounced Navandra) Island\’s lovely anchorage with two other boats.

    Shortly after our arrival, Jim and crew on s/v \”Wetnose\” (originally from Marina del Rey) arrived and we went over for a visit. It was good to see a familiar face and meet Jim\’s partner and his wife, we had a nice visit.

    The next day, we went for a lovely snorkel and ashore. The coral was really in good shape and my old nemisis the \”crown of thorns\” was unfortunately eating large patches of the beautiful coral for breakfast/lunch and dinner. This is a sensitive subject for me. I\’ll address this on the old website this Fall when I can. It sounds unbelievable, but this creature was somewhat instrumental in the loss of Cindy. Enough on this for now.

    When ashore, a local with some tourists came up to us and told us we should leave \”sevu-sevu\” in the cave on the island. It is an uninhabited yet traditional land where to respect the ancestors we would leave a gift of Kava (Yangona) as a token of respect. Sevu-sevu is the ceremonial act of doing so. We of course know where the Kava goes, but it\’s the thought that counts, right?…:)

    Kava if you don\’t know is a traditional drink in Polynesia that looks and tastes like dirty dishwater. Why then would anyone want to drink it? Glad you asked! It has a narcotic effect and you know when it\’s working as your lips go numb. The Tongan variety has so far been the best tasting, French Polynesia second and Fijians are notorious for being the biggest drinkers of Yangona, but it\’s just \”dirty dishwater\” here. At least so far. Hope on this one does NOT spring eternal…

    So we then decided to go over to Waya Island (which would be our first Yasawa) for the night. The bow windlass broke yet again. This time it wasn\’t the motor, but the mechanism itself. As this was a critical system, we got it up using the electric halyard winch and did so in lengths of 15 feet at a time. This worked as an emergency \”get the anchor up\” system, but we couldn\’t live with this…..back to Vuda Point!…..

    It all worked out again. The diagnosis was a stripped housing cover which would take at least a week to replace if not longer, so Lorenzo smartly \”tack welded\” it into place. It works, we\’ll leave for Waya (yet again) tomorrow.

    KIT, Scott and the Crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine & Kate)

    Internet is not good here, I\’m sending via sailmail, but I can download emails to beachhouse51@gmail.com

  • Waya pit stop…Manta Ray Bay Island….

    June 25th, 2011

    Dear F&F,

    We left for the trip to Waya Island, most southern of the Yasawa\’s early as to travel the 30 miles and get settled. Kate was in \”her office\” (sun tanning of course) and Sandrine was listening to music. I did my weight workout and all was good. We arrived at Waya around noon and as lovely as it was, we just didn\’t feel we wanted to stay. So on we went the last 12 miles to Manta Ray Bay island. We anchored next to s/v Wetnose and Jim came by for a hello.

    Kate and Sandrine went snorkeling and I quickly discovered that the internet despite advertisement didn\’t work here. The 3G system is supposed to be in, but it just wasn\’t happening. So back to good old \”sailmail\” and that\’s how I\’m posting this blog.

    Kate decided we were going night diving as we had spoken to the local dive guide from Barefoot Plantation Resort and he said it was good right where we had anchored. So, Kate got to do her first NIGHT DIVE. I teased her about the sharks, Sandrine didn\’t want to hear about it and in we went.

    I was a bit disappointed as despite the lovely coral, the ususal suspects were no where to be found. WESTERN Fiji is not known for it\’s diving. EASTERN Fiji (where we will be in about 2 weeks) is. So I\’m cutting the place slack for the time being. No moray eels, no octopus, no whitetip reef sharks. It was for me a bit disappointing, Kate of course was jazzed. She dove at NIGHT!

    When we got back and cleaned up, Sandrine went up at 9 p.m. in her silks with the deck light on. She\’s getting stronger every day.

    It\’s overcast now and the weather is supposed to start being really windy with some rain over the next few days.

    The manta rays are supposed to be in the pass only 250 yards away; they come in at high tide which is this afternoon. We\’ll give them a snorkel try then and report back. More diving today too….

    KIT, Scott and the Crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine and Kate)

    Internet is not good here, I\’m sending via sailmail, but I can download emails to beachhouse51@gmail.com

  • Malololailai…..

    June 1st – 9th, 2011

    Okay, say Malololailai ten times real fast! Betcha\’ can\’t do it….:)

    Dear F&F,

    We picked up mooring and checked into Musket Cove. The reefs here are something to be very wary of. They\’re often just awash and you can\’t see them. Glad the electronic charts are spot on here.

    Diving: We started Kate\’s diving class today. She\’s a natural and will have no worries at all. Dinghy 101: Kate thought it looks cool when a gal drives the dinghy so lessons began today. Other than my broken toe, it was all good…:)

    June 2nd We hated the pool here, the visiability was worse than the ocean. So, we did confined water dives 3,4 & 5 in the ocean in a \”pool like environment\”. Much better. Kate will start her first \”Open Water Dives\” tomorrow….

    June 3rd Correction, Kate got a bit too inebriated last night and will start her Open Water dives tomorrow! I went out for two nice dives with Roberta and Patrice. I went to check the haul out here. NO WAY. They want me to do everything but drive the tractor that pulls the boat out of the water. Plan B will be in order. More on that later. The saildrive isn\’t leaking that bad. It can wait.

    June 4th Kate did Open Water 1&2. Absolutely no sweat.

    June 6th Kate finished Open Water dives 3&4, she\’s now the newest \”PADI GIRL\”.

    June 7th We did her first dive as a certified diver at \”The Pinnacle\”. Amazing. Nice swim though at 74 feet. The top of the pinnacle at 28 feet looked like an amazing aquarium. At least 5 species of clowns, lots of different types of anemones, lion fish, damsel fish, bubble coral galore. The entire 40 feet by 40 feet was covered in \”life\”. Oh this was a \”Cindy Dive\” for sure.

    June 8th Surfs UP! We met Greg, an Aussie on the boat next door. He took me and Kate surfing to Wilkes Channel. Kate got a bit beat up and was \”rescued\” by the cute guys. She was taken to lunch at the island resort (Namotu), very exclusive. She came away with lots of emails and phone numbers. Oh to be young and adorable. It\’s that easy isn\’t it?….

    I actually rode two waves. Nice sweet right handers about 3-4 foot face. First time in really 20 years. It was somewhat like riding a bike. My exercise program paid off so I didn\’t expire paddling the board.

    June 9th Returned to Vuda Point Marina. Happy Birthday Gaye (Skye\’s Mom). Skye\’s is tomorrow!

    More later, awaiting Sandrine\’s arrival on Monday from Hawaii….Kate may soon move on to her next boat ride….. KIT, Scott with Kate on computer, texting, facebooking and all that other stuff 30 year olds do…. Vuda Point Marina, Fiji

  • New Zealand to Fiji….A synopsis

    May 31st, 2011

    \”I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends\”…. The Beatles

    Dear F&F, We\’re in Vuda Point Marina just south of Lautoka where we checked in. I thought this song was appropriate as Kate is from Essex near London.

    Kate was great in the watch, sailing, cooking, companion and everything else category. A great attitude and disposition.

    We had a raucous ride, but a good one. I hope you enjoyed my \”Magical Mystery Tour\” along the northward trail from New Zealand to Fiji. The deep V cut like a knife. The wound will not heal. It shouldn\’t……

    Checking in: We did the Customs Tango here and boy was it weird. This is the most bureaucratic nation I\’ve ever checked into. As the government here is technically in a \”marshal law\” state of affairs they want to know your underwear size. The forms were thick, the questions lengthy. All in all the folks are great however. Several trips were required to go to the various offices to get cleared in, cruising permits, etc.

    Anchoring: We went to drop the hook and the windlass (thing that raises and lowers the anchor) didn\’t work. I had to use the stern one. We dragged the anchor twice and it was quite the drill to prevent \”the house\” from crashing into other boats and oh yes, the DOCK! After that was sorted, all was good.

    We went to Vuda Point (pronounced VUNDA) and they fixed the windlass motor and re-mounted the water maker which flew off the wall on a big crashing wave and some other minor stuff. We\’ll see about the haul out facility at Musket Cove tomorrow.

    Clean up inside and out and off to Musket Cove, Malololailai Island to do Kate\’s PADI Open Water course and have some relaxing fun.

    KIT, Scott with wide awake Kate….Facebooking like a fiend!…:)

  • Yesterday…..

    May 25th, (Eastern Hemisphere), 2011 – 8:30 p.m. Our Last Night at Sea….

    Conditions: 18 degrees 45 minutes SOUTH 177 degrees 20 minutes EAST Wind: East, 30 knots (It\’s still blowing!) Swell: East, 2 – 2.5 meters (We\’re getting some reef protection) Heading: 340 True Speed: 5.5 knots 3 reefs in the main, no head sail (We\’re trying to go slow for a daylight entry) Barometer: 1013.8 and rising 55 miles to \”Navalu Pass\”, the reef entrance to Lautoka 75 miles to Lautoka, Fiji (Fiji\’s second largest commercial port near Nadi (pronounced Nandi))

    \”Yesterday\”…..The Beatles

    Dear F&F, As this is our last night \”at sea\” and the left side of my \”Deep V\” into and out of New Zealand. I thought it was important to reflect on \”Yesterday\”. I listen to lots of music out here and this song which we\’ve all heard 1000 times had me feel today why it was a timeless melody. It will be the end of tonight\’s post.

    We\’re approaching Viti Levu, the main Island of Fiji. Fiji literally has 100\’s of islands, but Viti Levu and Vanua Levu (where we will go to Savusavu \”someday\”…:)) are the two largest. This is considered the most complicated navigational area in perhaps the entire world. There are still lists of \”uncharted\” reefs, possible underwater volcanos, etc. that are not published and not on navigational charts. As such, it\’s a place to be especially careful of at night. When approaching a place like this, one doesn\’t do so without a great deal of caution. Night entries are not advised! That\’s why we will wait till morning light before going into the reef system. It\’s pitch black out here tonight, no stars or moon with 100% cloud covered sky\’s. Other vessels are around too. On the radio tonight, we heard two other boats waiting to enter the pass in the morning. There could be several more we didn\’t hear too.

    We\’re finally getting some protection to the east by Kandavu Island, the Great Astrolabe Reef and Beqa (pronounced Benga) Lagoon\’s reef system. These are what\’s knocked down the \”fetch\” distance reducing the swell from the full oceanic 3.5 meters to a much more comfortable 2 meters.

    Most beginners to boating think it\’s the long distances of passages that are the greatest danger. In truth, it\’s actually being near land. Hitting \”land\” (reefs) is much more hazardous to our health than banging into waves. We must be more vigilant in our watch keeping close to shore and maintain the best possible night vision. There are navigational aids (lights in particular) here, but we must still approach with caution as these sometimes don\’t work in the third world or a change that hasn\’t been published shows us an aid that is mis-marked. Such is the life of the ocean going sailor, amateur, professional and everyone in between.

    So on this note, I will leave you with my day\’s catharsis and tomorrow give a synopsis of our passage and plans over the next few weeks.

    \”Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away, now it looks as though their here to stay, oh I believe in yesterday. Why she had to go, I don\’t know, she wouldn\’t say? Something\’s wrong, now I long for yesterday.\” I guess it says it all. I have no choice but to move forward. I\’m still shocked and confused, I long for \”Yesterday\”…..

    Nighty night, don\’t let the bed bugs bite…..I hope you\’ve all enjoyed my musical tour, sailing from Auckland, New Zealand to Lautoka, Fiji. It\’s been for the most part, a \”downwind joyride\”….. Scott with resting Kate

  • Galileo…..

    May 24th (EASTERN Hemisphere again!), 2011 – 10 p.m. local time.

    Conditions: 21 deg 20 min SOUTH 178 deg 19 min EAST (zig zagged the date line). Wind: 25 East Swell: 3 meter ESE (more East). Heading: 340 deg T Speed: 8.5 knots (a bit bumpy again, but quite livable) Barometer: 1017 Day 6 run: 182 nm

    122 nm to Kandavu (first outer island of Fiji for us). Should see it before dark tomorrow. 228 nm to Lautoka, port of entry, Western Fiji – Viti Levu Island. Expected Landfall, Thursday, May 26th mid day local time (same as New Zealand).

    \”Galileo\”….Indigo Girls

    Dear F&F, Tonight is a clear sky \”high pressure\” night. It brings to mind the astronomer \”Galileo\”. He was convicted and condemned for \”telling the truth\”. It\’s an introspective song dealing with our fate, re-incarnation and reliving our mistakes or the those of others who\’ve gone before us.

    The BFH (aka: big fat high) that we left New Zealand on with it\’s big Southerly winds is still our dominant weather phenomenon. It was as good as it gets leaving New Zealand in the late Fall to head to the tropics. The wind has started turning to the East as well as the swell due to the BFH moving Eastward 1500 miles to our South. It\’s still blowing a blue streak out there, we\’ve two reefs in the main sail and the staysail up on the port side.

    We had to stow the spinnaker pole as we had to start being concerned about losing our hard fought for \”Easting\”. The wind is actually slightly ahead of the beam, we\’d sure like last nights dead run back (wind right astern). We did cover 200 nm from 7 p.m. last night to 7 p.m. tonight.

    On the radio tonight, I heard old friends Joan and Chuck on s/v \”Tender Spirit\”. Joan was joking last week that despite the 1200 miles we were behind them in arriving in Fiji (they are coming from Majuro in the Marshall Islands), they had little wind and we had lots. She said, \”you\’ll probably beat us anyway!\”. I didn\’t believe it then, but now I do. They\’re still 250 miles out and so are we. We have wind, they have little and we\’re lots faster to begin with. So goes sailing on big oceans.

    So tonight as I stare at the Universe above and all the glory of the stars in the heavens, I think of Galileo and how he was light years ahead of his time. And condemned for it…. Here\’s to you Galileo, \”King of night vision, King of insight\”….

    Short tonight, more tomorrow…. Scott with sleeping culinary Kate (She\’s really a good chef. Tonight was shrimp curry)

  • Magic Carpet Ride…..

    23 May, (Less than 20 miles from the Eastern Hemisphere), 2011 – 9 p.m. Local Time

    Conditions: 23 deg 54 min South 179 deg 30 min WEST Wind: 15 to 25 knots, ESE Swell: 16 feet, 4 meters ESE Heading: Changed course to 315 T, we\’ve changed ports to Lautoka, Fiji (near the repair yard in Musket Cove) Speed: WOW!…9 – 16 knots! Average 10 knots. One reef in the main, genoa out to starboard on the new spinnaker pole. We\’re on a Magic Carpet Ride. Barometer: 1019 steady.

    \”Magic Carpet Ride\”…..Steppenwolf

    Dear F&F, This is what it\’s all about, we\’re flying. We decided to forego the Minerva Reefs as it didn\’t work as to timing, weather, etc. With a 4 meter swell, it would most likely have been very uncomfortable inside the reef at high tide and I\’m anxious to get the small leak in the port engine room fixed as soon as possible. So now instead of arriving at the most EASTERN port in Fiji, we\’ll arrive at the WESTERN most port. It\’s okay and we can work our way back easily enough. It will give us a chance to apply for the Lau Group visitors permit in Suva on the main island of Viti Levu as well.

    We\’ve heard that Musket Cove can take us out on their trailer and Kate wants to go to the \”two dollar\” bar which is a local famous hang out as well. While the repairs are going on, we\’ll start the practical of her diving course at Musket Cove. Kate did the first two DVD modules today and we\’ll go over them together tomorrow again. We put the kayak back in it\’s rack where it jumped out. Discovered that the pounding of the last two days broke the little water maker off it\’s mounts. Cleaned water out of the starboard hull from a wave that visited us through the bathroom window and hung the wet clean up towels up to dry.

    Now that the waves are behind us, this is type of sailing all we crazy ocean going boaters dream about. It\’s a bit scary, but incredible all at the same time. The power of the waves behind us, picking us up and racing down the face is exhilarating enough, but the fact that the boat feels like we\’re at the dock is even more amazing. No bouncing, no muss, no fuss. This is literally \”Beach House\’s thing\”. I wish you could all take turns and be here to experience this. 9-10-14-16 knots!… It\’s like a Disneyland ride. Our strategic positioning to get east early is really paying off right now. At this rate, we\’ll be off the southern island of Kandavu in 36 hours, Lautoka in two days with a morning arrival on the third day from now, our Thursday. Everything as we know can change in the blink of an eye, but for the moment, this moment is a \”Magic Carpet Ride\”…..

    KIT, Scott (Kate\’s lasagna tonight was exceptional!)

  • Catch the Wind…..

    May 22nd, (Staying with this date though we are currently in the WESTERN Hemisphere), 2011 – 11:30 p.m. local time

    Conditions: 26 deg 13 min South 178 deg 15 min WEST Wind: ESE, 25-35 knots Swell: ESE, 3.5 meters, bumpy! (Kate\’s getting the adventure she came out here for!) Heading 020 True Speed: 6.2 knots THREE Reefs and staysail (This afternoon we had two reefs and were going 9-11 knots, too bumpy on a beam reach). Temp: 70 deg F – 21.5 deg C (we\’re in the aura of the tropics for sure). Water Temp: 73 deg F – 22.8 deg C Barometer:1022 and choppy 172 nm Day 4 run 124 miles to North Minerva, we\’re over 1/2 way to Savusavu 560 nm to Savusavu, we may divert to Suva for haul and repair of leak. Yet to be determined.

    \”Catch the Wind\”….Bob Dylan

    Dear F&F, This has been a passage full of wind essentially from the start. The last 24 hours has been another story all together. (Sandrine, you were right to sit this one out as a first big sail!).

    Starting at 6:30 a.m. this morning, we\’ve had re-enforced trade winds as predicted from 25-35 knots, briefly squalls to 40 knots. Two days from now, it should be gone…(touch some wood..quick!…:))

    This is serious sailing. You don\’t want to have to do sail changes and maneuvers in the dark. If anything were to seriously break, it would be a challenge to deal with it. Our large kayak broke out of it\’s restraints but landed in the perfect spot and we\’re just leaving it on the deck over the starboard head. I have no idea how it could have escaped the two stainless steel bars restraining it. They haven\’t moved, but the kayak escaped!

    It\’s Mr. Toad\’s Wild ride for sure, it\’s why crazy ass sailors come out here. I however, would prefer less than 25 knots at all times. If you want to take the plunge from the tropics to New Zealand and sail back out, you go in understanding that this is the way it\’s gonna be.

    A sailing friend once told me, \”Scott, anyone can get to New Zealand, but only the sailors leave\”. I knew what he meant then and I\’m experiencing it first hand now. As \”weather windows\” go, this is about as good as it gets. Remember, it\’s almost winter here and last night it was 44 deg F – 7.2 deg C in Auckland! It\’s 70 degrees right now outside. The temperature difference alone lets you know; we\’ve got weather!

    When you look at a map of the world, you\’ll see that \”Beach House\” essentially took a deep \”V\” course leaving Tonga last September and we\’re now crawling out literally, figuratively and emotionally on the opposite leg out to Fiji. Back to the warm winter tropics of the South Pacific. Tropical sailing is about the \”Endless Winter\” versus the famous film, \”The Endless Summer\”. Summer here means Cyclones (Hurricanes) and we want nothing to do with those beasts.

    Rhythmically, I write and watch the bilge pump in the port engine room cycle on and off on the light panel. I\’m beginning to think the leak is not the sail drive skirt but rather perhaps a de-lamination of the engine\’s mounting bed from the hull. The unexpected and prolonged sit \”on the hard\” in Gulf Harbour may have contributed to this. If so, we\’ll still have to haul and have the transmission removed, a bit of glass work and all will be good. Quite interestingly, when we were going 10-12 knots earlier in the day, pressing at a clip that would have sailed us at 240 miles for a day\’s run, the leak stopped. When we slowed, back it came.

    When we checked in with the Pac Sea Net tonight, they thought we\’d disappeared as we had to do the third reef tango. Whenever it\’s time to do something like, cook, shower, get on the radio, etc. That\’s the time the wind God\’s always make their presence known as to whose in charge. Kate was in the shower, I was on the radio and 40 knots descended upon us in exactly the above scenario. I had to hurry Kate out of the shower, dropped the radio and with wet hair a flying, Kate took the wheel, rounded us up while I reefed and we made it just before the next blast. Then of course, we got to second guess ourselves as the wind dropped down briefly to a mere 22 knots. I told Kate I didn\’t care if the wind backed off for the night, I wanted it to be comfortable and she agreed that cooking was truly SAFER with less sail and speed on. Never fear, the 25-35 has been pumping all night, currently 30 as I write. It was the right call, glad we did it. The Pac Sea Net controller was Jane tonight and she just assumed we had sail change issues and took our report later in the program. We\’ve moved up to #10. Single handers always go first.

    So as you can tell from this report, we\’ve \”caught the wind\” or should I say, it\’s caught us….. 32 knots now. Just threw our first flying fish of the trip off the deck.

    KIT, Scott with of course sleeping Kate