[password] grace40

[position] 31 38.641s 174 02.187e

[weather] as at 1200 hrs 18/11/19. Wind N 10kts. Swell SW 1.5 mts long periods. Bright sunny day with 0% cloud cover with exception of a very few wisps of cirrus cloud. Baro 1015 down from 1020 yesterday. COG 180T. SOG 6 kts

[status] as at 1200 hrs 18/11/19. It's official. Or at least it feels like it. When we left Fiji our boat was a sailboat with an auxillary motor. It's now a motor boat with auxillary sails. Of the 147 hrs at sea so far, we have motored 65 hrs. Based on the latest weather forecasts, there is still more diesel burning to come. We're not making a carbon footprint. We're a carbon stampede.

Many of you are waiting with suspensefull anticipation to learn the outcome of the night watch resolution. Or not. You may recall, I thought it unfair that Leilani got the first night watch when it was still daylight. With a magnanimous jesture to stilling the turbulent waters, Leilani agreed to trade night watches with me - after I threw a temper tantrum. This morning, Leilani felt the same sleep deprivation I have been feeling the whole trip because of having to do in effect, two night watch shifts to one. So she asked to go back to the original schedule. I sat her down, and using the most logical and persuasive arguments I could muster, I said: "Nani-nani pooh pooh. I'm not changing back, and you can't make me." With a deep contemplative look, she rubbed her chin while nodding understandingly, responded, "Gee, I never thought of it that way. Sure, you can keep my watch." Being the skipper and having to deal with many crrew issues in order to maintain a happy ship is a difficult and thankless job. I don't know how she does it.

I forgot to mention yesterday that we saw a whale. Actually we saw it spouting twice, and its backside once. No wonder I forgot to mention it. Of equal mention I found a very small dead flying fish on the deck several days ago. As you can tell, we've been at sea too long if this is all we have to write about.

You guessed it. Time to go back to sleep.

Cheers, John

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