On our way to Tonga....546 miles to go.

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick update that we are 160 miles into our trip and it is 4am in the morning. I am ending my shift so thought to send a note. We are at 13.53.475 latitude and 165.26.742 Longitude on a course of 248 averaging about 8 - 9 knots. We are double reefed on the main and just have a hankerchief of a jib out. The winds have been strong southerly all day around 20 - 30 knots so we are staying north and going west so that we have a better wind angle. The swells are pretty much on our side and it is a wild, wet and confused ride. There have been rain shower all day and then on top of that the waves are splashing up over the bimini at times and then also up over the side of the boat. I was seasick today so the only spot that makes me feel better is the captain chair or on the side of it, needless to say I was getting really wet. Tristan would come sit with me because he was sick to and since he doesn't have foulies he wrapped our vinyl table cover around him to keep the water off... Some waves it is like someone just through a bucket of water over our heads. I am so grateful the water is 83 degrees I just hope I don't end up with a fish in my pocket.

Anyway we are making good progress right now and taking advantage of the winds because they are suppose to be settling down to nothing in the next couple of days and we may end up motoring a good portion of our way... right now I am looking forward to that. The kids are all seasick so they are just laying around the boat trying to find a spot where they aren't as sick and it looks like a war zone in here because everything has fallen over or fallen off a shelf... We usually don't have to strap things down or put them in cupboards but for this ride we should have. But it is all good and we can clean it up when everything starts to settle.

Hugs and love to everyone,

Heather

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