[password] pilot25041
[position] 26 48.34s 153 50.5w
[status] yesterday after sailing under reefed main and full genoa for most of the morning, we gradually reduced sail as the day unfolded, finally 'hoving to' at 18.00 when "the cook" was just about to "lose it", with huge seas and wind gusting +35kts! 45mins later we set off again with 3reefs in the main and a pocket handkerchief for a headsail, still making +7kts into a large swell and waves at 60 AWA. At dawn the wind and seas again increased to circa 4m at 4sec intervals, so we have persisted with our small sail plan throughout this morning although the seas have now abated slightly. The good yacht Surreal II takes all this in her stride, she grinds on up wind and protects us from at times crazy seas, which is a reassuring relief for all on board.

The sun is out and it is warm, but this constant pounding up wind for 8days continuously has now lost its sparkle, however, our current slow rate of progress 6kts means that although we're likely to reach Raivavae on this tack and be there by late Wednesday, we will probably have to hold off overnight, before entering through the reef at daybreak!

The good news yesterday morning from our shore-based spy was that P'zazz & Taronui were both sailing close together again and at 9am were 50nm almost directly behind us to our south.
We had another flying fish last evening, it arrived on a huge 'greenie' that deluged the boat, with the flying fish deposited on the coaming, having popped through our 'lines' gap between coaming and windscreen, as this one was still alive we popped him back from whence he came! Position 09.00 nzst. 162nm run in 24hrs.
[speed] 5.8kts
[heading] 048T
[weather] wind 23knts E, 3m swells from both the E, 30% cloud cover.

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