[radioactiv]

[position] 25 54.621s 179 34.642e

[status] Happy Birthday Pauline!!! We will all ‘cheers’ to you at our 5pm crew meeting (which is really just an excuse to have our one drink for the day). Hi Margo and Pete, we received 2 of your 3 text messages to our Satellite Phone this morning. Regarding the English degree - now that I know you guys are reading these updates, I feel super-nervous about starting these updates in third person and ending in first person! And am more worried about my grammar!! At least I haven’t written “Mike and me” yet! Ha ha! (ps – the nappies are still in their bag – thank god!) It was another S.L.O.W night motor sailing - the wind gave out on us, so back on the motors. Mike and Mal did the hard yards again last night, from 7:30pm to 4:30am, and Sasha did the prized sunrise shift again, so she was awake to tune into GHRadio at 7am. Last night Sasha learnt about the Sagittarius constellation, and the crown of stars at his horsey feet. In the sky Sagittarius has the torso of
a man, and the body of a horse, and has his bow and arrow pulled and aimed at the Scorpio constellation. Sasha’s younger brother Carl (aka Bippy) is a Sagittarius and Sasha and her twin Katya (aka Sippy) are Scorpio’s, so it’s rather entertaining learning about the impending war happening in the heavens. She’ll read up about Scorpio tonight (on her iphone star app), to see if Scorpio is aware an arrow is on it’s way. Hi to Bippy and Sippy!! Congrats on the new role in Sydney Bippy! And Sippy give a big hug to my favourite nephew Connor and niece Rose! Our chart plotter says we have 1 day until we get to Minerva Reef, which has everyone just a tad excited on board. The weather forecasts suggest there is some serious wind up north that we may feel the tail end of in a few days time, perhaps 25-35knots, so our plan to stay a few nights at Minerva may end up being a rather quick day and one night visit. Captain Mike says hi to Mum Watson & Flex! He hopes you guys are
tucked up nice and warm as we hear the weather has turned considerably nasty. Apart from that breakfast was nut and fruit muesli, with yoghurt, fresh orange slices and a drizzle of passionfruit syrup. Lunch will be corn fritters with chilli sauce.. and dinner, well… I don’t know what’s for dinner yet, but there is plenty of time to think about it. Screacher is out, and we are motor sailing – still.

[speed] 7.3knots

[heading] 018

[weather] Clear blue skies, with clouds dotted on the horizon to the north and the east (approx). And roughly 8knots as we don’t have wind speed on the boat. Sea’s are calm as, so calm in fact it’s like coastal sailing around Auckland on a sunny summers day.

[END]