On the Way to Tonga

Hi there. I hope to find a message from you this morning letting us know Marc is doing great; I know you went to the doctor yesterday for an update. I just wrote a sailmail to you and lost it so this one will have to do for now. We encountered some huge squalls yesterday and must have made at least six sail changes trying to keep up with crazy wind. By the time the sun finally came out for a stunning sunset, we were exhausted and glad the day was over. The wind has been pretty light since then, and nothing seems to capture what we are getting quite right, but at least we are kind of headed in the right direction. We have about 118 miles to go to reach Nieafu, Tonga, and the plan is to arrive early tomorrow morning so we can check in with officials who take half of Friday off and weekends they are gone. Somewhere somehow we lose a day as we are traveling so when we arrive tomorrow, it will be Friday. We will be quarantined on our boats all weekend if we don't make it into town early, so wish us luck. 


Yesterday afternoon, while the memorial service was taking place at Stanford, David and I shared more Willie memories, I cried a few more tears, and we even sang the James Taylor song, Sweet Baby James, at about the time when the family was planning to sing to him. I know that Willie felt everyone's sweet love, and he will live in our hearts forever. His spirit remains strong. Location: S 18° 39'  W 172° 22'    

Heading for Vava'u

Just gave up on the internet after an hour of trying to get into our gmail account with good luck and then a spit. Looks like I will have to wait until at least Friday in Tonga. We cross the International Date Line on our way to Vava'u, so it will be Friday when we get there, jumping one day ahead. We spent the day waiting for Customs and Immigration to check us out, had lunch with Brandy and Marc from Restless, and we shopped for a few provisions. David and I snorkeled along the reef near Sidewinder and saw some huge parrot fish and groupers, along with a few little seasnakes and a shark. Visibility is awesome, although most of the coral here got wiped out during Cyclone Heta in 2004. 


We are leaving early Tuesday morning so that we can get there by early Friday morning with the gentle winds predicted for this week. I have some cool pics to send for the blog, but it looks like we will have to wait. This week has been such a special surprise and everyone will love the photos, which is the only way one can truly grok this island and its people. What an amazing landscape with so many pools and rock formations.  It is time for me to go to sleep and rest before we take off very early tomorrow morning. Sailmail will continue to be our lifeline. Love you mucho, Suzi

News from Nuie

We still have the internet connection on Sidewinder and just got a call from Catfish and Larry. It was very s........l..........o.........w   but it was so fun seeing them in person and talking to them. YIPPEE! Thanks for the pictures from Leon, by the way. WOW! What great visibility and amazing shots!  


Our snorkeling was out of pools nestled into the cliffs, and there were not very many fish, nor was there much coral, but it was still very fun and really beautiful caves and pools. Yes, we have been having great fun and hopefully our connection will last long enough for us to send you some pictures for the blog. We are returning our van late this morning, so we are done with our Niue exploring. There is some diving down toward the south end but the accessibility is only by boat, and we all didn't think we needed to see colorful coral and fish that badly. Now that we have seen Leon's pictures, it seems like we will find some pretty awesome dives in Fiji and the corals they found are not here. Most of the coastline here was destroyed by the cyclone in 2002, but the visibility is amazing. I did do a snorkel off of Sidewinder when we first got here and found lots of fish along the coral reef which surrounds the whole island. It is so special, when the water is clear, to just float and watch all the colorful fish interact and feed. I saw two little black and white sea snakes and one white-tipped shark as well. 


Today is a total rest day for all the islanders and we have decided that it is a good day to relax and catch back up on boat stuff. Now that we are connected to the internet, we will try to catch up there as well; it is soooo fun reading all the articles on Willie and actually looking at pictures. I forgot how cool it is to have email! We just got an email from Richard and Virginia and I know you did as well. We do look forward to finding them and meeting with them. What a treat that will be. We will try to look up airline opportunities today and see what is available. We are assuming we will be able to come home early November and we want to go to the ranch and be with family during Thanksgiviing. David wants to drive up and see Casey if he can, and also he wants to visit with his family members as well. I think we can work on being home during December so that we can see Virginia and Richard and visit with friends. I want to be home for Leon's birthday and for Christmas if I can have my wishes come true. The problem with this time of the year, though, is that I know there will be limited space for us. We may even need to rent somewhere to stay..........we will begin to figure this all out. I know that Jo Jo and Fergie are leaving mid-December but I also think they are taking their furniture with them. I also would like to have someone, preferably someone we know, move into our house as soon as possible. We certainly have a lot of planning we must do in a short amount of time. Love, Suzi

Alofi, Nuie

Well, I've just spent about an hour trying to connect with the internet from Sidewinder and I think, because of the motion of the waves moving us around, the signal comes and goes; when it is with me, I can begin to google gmail and then it gets interrupted and the process stops. Soooo, here is another sailmail just to let you know what's up and see how you are doing. Hopefully we can figure out how to get connected at least on the land by Saturday, when I will try to skype you. There is an internet cafe and I can bring my computer in, I think. The landing here is pretty tricky, so we shall see how it all unfolds. 


Today we met 80 yr. old Ernie from the Niue Yacht Club at the wharf and learned how to work the lift to swing the dinghy onto the concrete pier, and then wandered the little town of Alofi. What a great sleepy little place this is, with friendly people ready to help in every nook and cranny. We had yummy ice cream at the yacht club and were told of all the spots to explore by Keith, another older yacht club member. This club is classic in that it has no members with boats. They are group of older guys who just want to be of service to any yachties who come along. Very cool. 


Tomorrow we are renting a car with Brandy and Marc, and Ondre, Karolina, and Magy from sv Maui (probably the only boat from the Czech Republic to sail the South Pacific) and are adventuring around the island with the map given to us by Keith. The caverns and chasms along the coast are supposed to be spectacular; visibility while snorkeling is sometimes close to 200 ft. and there are many pools near the caves. Sounds like good fun. We will take some pictures and finally be able to liven up the blog with color. Time to go to sleep. Sweet dreams. 

Wednesday's Arrival

We arrived at 4:15 this afternoon and are on a mooring off of the steep cliffs of this fairly flat coral atoll. It reminds us of Laguna, with interesting coves and little tiny beaches nestled between the limestone rocks. Worm is in the water with his engine on, ready to greet Restless who is just now coming into the anchorage; they have the cold beers! YIPPEE!  Look forward to checking in and exploring tomorrow; everyone on the island has free internet service so I should find a way to contact you. - Suzi

Almost There

It is evening and we are having to go dead downwind wing on wing with very little wind and that means rocking and rolling to the max. Hard to do anything down below. Oh well! We hope to be quietly anchored this time tomorrow night and I look forward to exploring Niue. Location: S 18° 06' W 168° 47'

Hauling Butt

David here. Suzi asked me to send you our Lat. & Long. so you know how much progress we have made, which has been a lot. Here it goes: 14° 45.9' S      165° 01' W     Our 24 hour progress for the first day was 149 miles with a constant 15-18 knts. of east wind and a small swell out of the east as well. The ride is little bumpy, but you won't hear either of us complain. The sky is clear with only a few white puffy clouds scattered around, and our Monitor Windvane steering unit is doing all the work without using one amp. of power. Sailing doesn't get much better than this.

Leaving Suwarrow

Location:  S 13° 21'  W 163° 21'   We pulled anchor around 1 PM this early afternoon after spending the morning bidding our farewells to Apii and James. We had a great potluck last night after some of the cruisers went coconut crab hunting and we played some music into the late evening. David and I made up a song to the two camp counselors and everyone joined in, adding their own spontaneous talent acts; it was truly just like Camp Suwarrow was coming to a close, and the laughter and festivities made for more lasting fond memories. 


We had a great sail heading out the pass and around the atoll, with waves pushing us along toward our new destination of Niue, about 500 miles away, on the way to Tonga. It is supposed to be really beautiful and a pretty unique country unto itself. Brandy and Marc on Restless and the kids on Maui are also sailing with us, so we are with good company. The waves now have become quite lumpy, but the wind and weather are great.

I will be sad to miss the memorial service; I would love to see all the wonderful people I have befriended through Willie. Bert, Willie's best friend since college, roping partner, and fellow Stanford doctor will speak, and it would be a privilege to hear him; I am sure he is devastated by his loss as well.  Love, S

Catharsis

Yesterday was an absolutely stellar day; the blues, aquas, greens all seemed to be more intense next to the white sand beach, palms flowing in the breeze. We snorkeled out by the pass with the manta rays and big fish, including some stealthy gray sharks and David even found an octopus. The water was unbelieveably clear and the calm filled our souls. In between the light, I continue to be overwhelmed by dark clouds which come in waves and by now, I am growing impatient with my inability to control my feelings of sadness, especially when I know damn well that Willie's spirit has always been so full of fun jokes to make us see the light of life. I also know that it is because I am so far away and removed from those I love, that the process of letting go will take some time. I have always been fortunate to be by the side of my loved ones when they were going through the dying process, and I know that it makes the reality easier in some ways. So, as I pick myself up, I am thankful for the energy to make each moment of the day meaningful in some way. Throughout my life, Willie has inspired all of us to laugh and see the lighter side of life, as well as to do something special with the life we have. His thirst for knowledge propelled him to always learn from the best and the brightest, and he loved interesting discussions and new ideas. With a brilliant mind and his deep love for all of life and humanity, he seemed to always be involved in helping others to someway improve their quality of life. He served less fortunate people from the ship, Hope, during his younger days, he delivered hundreds of healthy children with warmth and love, and he spent much of his life working with El Camino Hospital to more efficiently serve the people of the community. Besides all of this, Willie nurtured the ranch he so loved and the family will always cherish his leadership and passion. I am such a lucky girl to have had such an amazing man in my life.  

Another Rainy Day

As David has been working all day on the refrigeration motor which seems to have died, I have been playing around with my little pressure cooker trying to cook black beans without much success, and periodically, in between showers on deck, writing. I hope your day has been more beautiful and productive than mine. Poor David is so frustrated and, once again, we face the good possibility of life without refrigeration. Oh well, things can always be worse! I will write my thoughts on Willie for the blog, but please know that I will never feel like I have adequately paid tribute to my precious Willie.

As I have tried to write my thoughts about Willie to all of those who are following the blog, I find myself so limited and at a loss for the right words to say what I feel. The only way that a tribute to the gentle incredibly strong soul who impacted my life in so many ways is to write a letter to him. So, here is my first letter to Willie.

Dearest Willie, While I try to let go of my overwhelming sadness, still planted on this Earth, I have so much to thank you for and I will continue to be inspired by your incredible energy and love for life on this planet. From the moment I met you at age 12, you have been the most perfect cowboy, doctor, lover of nature, non-stop funny, loving, kind, sensitive, bright, interested human being, the most perfect husband and lover of my cousin Annie, and the the very best Dad in the world. I feel privileged to have been given a lifetime of adventures inspired by you. Each experience with you, especially on the ranch, taught me the joy of exploring the unknown with confidence and approaching each day with exuberant enthusiasm. Horses always sensed your sensitivity and skill, the cattle were calmed by your presence, and the hawks and eagles soared to celebrate your existence. Hunting for the perfect Easter/Spring celebration spot full of flowers of every size and color, and sharing thoughts, feelings, and tears with the whole family will continue on forever because of you and Lauren, loving the land and revering life so much. Taking the time to listen and pay attention to the wild is a deep part of who I am today, and I am grateful for your guidance. You blessed my wedding to David by walking me down the 9th Street stairs, while we both vowed to not cry, and I know that my Dad was smiling. You welcomed David whole-heartedly into the family and always made my friends feel as special as they truly are. You touched so many hearts and souls with your generosity and expertise, and the world will not be the same without you here. I do know, though, that your presence will continue to be felt and that each time the eagle soars overhead you will be checking out what is happening below. I love you, Willie, and will miss you so. Thank you for continuing to listen.

There is so much more to say, but this is all for now. It was good for me to write again and to cry again.      The rain has finally stopped and maybe we will leave tomorrow, depending upon the weather forecast, but I am not sure David will be ready after having such a frustrating day today. We shall see.  Love to you, buddy. 

Willie Reeves: RIP

It is a rainy, gray day here at Suwarrow, at least at the moment, and that is what I am feeling. The sadness goes so deep and my heart feels battered. When notified of Willie's passing late last night, I was numb and speechless. The sobs came from deep inside my soul, and David held me for a long time. Being so far away from all possible contact by phone makes it so hard to let my loved ones know just how much I care and wish I were with them. Thank goodness for sailmail!!!! If only I could have been by his side to hold his hand and whisper loving thoughts. I truly do know that Willie has always known how deep my love for him is, and I believe he is still fully aware of how devastated I am right now with the loss of his physical being. Lord knows I would be the first to assure everyone that Willie is listening and wanting everyone to celebrate life and know that he is free to continue being. So that is what I am left with, but my heart is still heavy, and the sorrow prevails. What a special person he was and how very fortunate am I to have had him be such a vital part of my life. I will miss Willie so, and his legacy will carry on. My love to my family and friends whose lives he touched so tenderly. Love you, Suzi

A Suwarrow Sunday

This evening the wind has really kicked up, making me feel thankful that Sidewinder is safe inside the lagoon and is cozy. I am safe and secure; even the lagoon waves are moving the boats but all is well. We changed the oil this morning and did a few other chores, and then we went snorkeling along the reef behind us. It was clear and wonderful........what a way to get exercise! We motored into the Yacht Club and Apii helped me make some coconut milk (cream) for the shrimp curry I made us for dinner. YUM! David did his share of grating coconut as well. It rained, I showered, and we took some good drinking water back with us to the boat. All in all, it was a wonderful Sunday, and I look forward to finishing An Island to Oneself tonight before falling asleep to the sound of wild wind. We will stay one or two days more at least.  Love, Suzi

Surarrow: Day Three

Today the wind and squalls subsided long enough for Apii to take us out to Perfect Reef, about 4 miles from here. What a fantastic pleasure it was. I never seem to tire of crystal clear warm water to glide through as I check out the wonderland of colorful coral. It is a perfect reef within a reef with formations which are quite unusual. The blue, purple, yellow, orange, lime green, mauve, pink, and lavender coral are all different in some way, and I wish I knew more about them. I saw an exquisite pinkish lavender starfish I hadn't seen, and David scared a small turtle and caught her on film whisking away as fast as she could. We are just now learning our underwater camera skills, and David got some good shots. This evening we are on the boat soaking up the peace of this paradise, and I am half way through Tom Neale's book, hoping to finish by tomorrow. This is a difficult place to leave, so who knows when that will happen? The passages always seem to enhance the time spent inside the safety of the lagoon, especially here. Bye for now, S.

Surarrow

What a wonderful paradise this is! The uninhabited atoll of Suwarrow was "first discovered" by a Russian explorer who named it after his ship, the Suvarov, in 1814. According to one guidebook, in 1855 a mysterious box with US$15,000 was found, probably left by the crew of a wrecked Spanish galleon in 1742, so it appears that others had been here before. The locals from the northern atoll of Manihiki say that the indigenous people have always come here to dive, and I am not sure how far back in history the native population has been here. I will find out as I listen to the oral history that Api, one of the rangers here, knows so well. 


In the early 20th century Australians tried to introduce gold-lipped pearl oysters unsuccessfully and a copra (coconut) estate was established until termites took over. During WWII New Zealand coast-watchers were here, leaving behind an old building on Anchorage Island. From 1952 onward New Zealander Tom Neale lived alone on Suwarrow and wrote a book about his experiences titled An Island to Oneself, which I hope to read while we are here. Api is somehow related to Tom Neale through family, and as I pay attention to the valuable information I hear, obviously I will learn more about the details of this area. What an opportunity! 


After a fantastic day with Api coconut crab hunting on a distant motu, Tuesday evening the yachties all brought food to the clubhouse, which is part of the old Tom Neale house, and a coconut crab/lobster feast was had by all. WOW! James and Api gave a toast to Graciela, who was celebrating her birthday, and to all those cruisers who had been with them for two weeks and were about to leave. It was a very special evening, enhanced by Api's soothing songs from Manihiki. 


Yesterday about six yachts left and we were treated to a beautiful day of relaxation; we dinghed nearby and dove a fairly deep reef looking for mantas but found a huge turtle instead........bummer!.......along with an array of coral and big parrotfish. Later I also dove a shallow area near Sidewinder, which is wonderfully clear and colorful. Late in the afternoon we went ashore and strolled around the entire motu, in awe of the variety of coral left behind by the ocean, along with pretty little sand beaches lined with sweeping coconut palms. We sat with James and Api as the sun set and talked into the evening, feeling so lucky to be here with these two wonderful human beings. Today it is windy but clear and we hope to go with Api to Perfect Reef. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Doesn't this sound like the perfect summer camp?! - S.         

They Made It

David here letting everyone know we made it to Suwarrow and are safely anchored in one amazing place. The atoll is fairly big but with only a few islands and most of them you can't go on because of birds hatching eggs or turtles doing the same. It's down right beautiful: water that is gin clear and more fish than we have seen anywhere. It's no wonder this is a national park of New Zealand; it deserves no less. 


The crossing was fairly easy considering some of the horror stories we have heard with 50 + knt winds and sails getting blown out. Fact is we feel lucky! Nothing broken and not even any blood to show for our efforts. Tomorrow we go coconut crab hunting to go along with the lobsters they are getting as we talk. I wanted to go with them for the lobster hunt tonight, but I was pretty burnt out after spending most of last night sailing around in circles getting ready to run this pass. The pass ended up being a piece of cake, but the anticipation was gut wrenching, to say the least. This is a fairly large atoll with only one pass, so all the water in the lagoon has only one place to escape back out to sea, and that's through the pass. Thus the current and rips are pretty hairy, and at one point even though we were at almost full throttle, we were still only going 1.2 knts. But we made it and are both so glad to be stopped and settled in, even if it's only for a few days. Fact is it may be for a week or so because this place has so much to offer and we don't want to miss it. I have to go to bed now and Suzi will take over. -D.

Hi there. It is now morning and our beautiful anchorage is shrouded in clouds with gusty winds blowing through. It is an awesome motu with two amazing local Cook Island rangers, James and Api, who are so welcoming and excited to be here for the cruisers. They take people on adventures every day and have created a yacht club nestled among the palm trees, where one can exchange books and hang; there is a potluck tonight to say good-bye to the many who have been here for two weeks and plan to leave tomorrow, given a weather window. Coconut-crab hunting (on a motu about 4 miles away) today should be quite interesting; I will take our new camera and record it all. Love, me

OK, now that we are back from our crab hunting adventure, I will try one more time to send this. It was lots of fun, but since I am definitely not a hunter, I took the camera just to record the experience. Lo, and behold, of course the battery ran out of juice, and I had no spare with me. Will I ever learn to think ahead?!!!? Oh well, I will try to get some pictures from others who had their cameras, and I will take photos of the crab and lobster cook-out/potluck tonight. 

Day 5: Almost There (Really)

We made it through the night with the pole up and gentle warm winds, and today is our last full day of being out here. The sun is shining brightly, the seas are still a bit lumpy but definitely smoother, we just ate leftover fish and chicken k'-bobs, and I am almost finished with Josh Slocum's Sailing Alone Around the World, written eloquently in the late 1800's and making me think our little six day journey is nothing! We are keeping our eyes open for humpback whales; it is the season for this area.  Location: S 13° 20'  W 162° 2'  with about 69 miles to go.  :)  Suzi

Day 4: Almost There

This passage has reminded David and me of all the ups and downs of this journey of cruising. The constant motion is both stressful and exhilarating, along with the power of the ocean and the weather. We do pray to the weather gods, and I sing to the ocean every day, hoping to be safe as we glide along our way. The seas and the wind were much calmer this morning and we were able to take down the main and raise the headsail with the pole, just in time for a squall to hit. Change keeps us on our toes, but also creates tension and a bit of fear. Often we are not very good together during sail changes because of how slow I am with lines and knots and how impatient my lovely hubby captain (bless his heart) can be. You can imagine how the story goes. 


The skies cleared up late this afternoon and we did have a lovely barbecue dinner and enjoyed a beautiful sunset with the following seas settling down, along with the wind. Right now, though, the wind seems to be picking up, and we are hoping we did not make a mistake leaving the pole up at night. I will let you know tomorrow :) I always think positive thoughts and send loving vibes your way each night under the stars while I make my way across the wild blue yonder; it is such a magical time to be at one with it all.   OH yea, almost forgot....... Location:  S 13 degrees 33'  W 160 degrees 33'  - Suzi

Over Half Way: David's Perspective

We have gone 400 miles with a little under 300 to go and our GPS position is as follows: 14 degrees 13.8 minutes south, 158 degrees 18.2 minutes west. We have about 15-20 knts of wind out of the east/north east with a mixed swell out of the east. It's pretty rolly with a side swell out of the south, so we are running with only our main sail to try to smooth it out a bit. It's not working very well. 


We are hunkered down in the cockpit reading our books under the shade of our solar panels right now. It's not too bad down below except when one of those side swells hits, and you get thrown to the other side of the boat if you aren't holding on to something tightly. When you are off watch during the night, you have to sleep on your back with your arms out to the side so you won't roll off the bed or into the side of the bed. Every so often it still wakes you up, and before you know what has happened, you wonder why your loving mate just kicked you out of bed? But it doesn't take long to figure out what has happened, so you pick yourself up and try to pass out again before those precious 3 hours are over again, and it's your time to go topside and mind the farm.  Love to all, and we will be in touch, David

Day 2 at Sea + David on Fishing

Hi there........ Location as of 7:30 PM  S 14 degrees 53'  W 156 44.  The day was mostly beautiful with puffy clouds all around the horizon. We poled out the headsail and went downwind again, but this time the waves were too random and the wind was too much, and we back-winded the main way too many times, which can lead to all kinds of dangerous problems. The ordeal of taking down the headsail and pole seemed to take forever, and we were exhausted the rest of the day. Finding the best way to go downwind is always puzzling to us due to all the variables; we have ended up with our reefed main only taking us somewhat downwind, which is fine and safe, but quite rolie. We would prefer to just use the headsail and drop the main but that, too is a pain out here in the high seas. Oh well, this works for now and we are still going over 5 kts.  Ah, the life of the sailor! So many decisions to make!  Last evening the warm breeze continued to blow us pretty calmly, and the starry sky was again welcoming and wondrous. More music, a good read, an hour on the helm, and lots of stretches filled my four hours with joy and it looks like tonight will be much the same. We are very lucky to have this good weather so far. -Suzi

The following blog is a response from David to Darrell Boyle's query regarding fishing:

Howdy Darrell- Well, what you said about open water fishing turns out to be wrong. While in Bora Bora I met an ex-pat that runs (and owns I might add) a restaurant called Bloody Mary's. It's been around since 1979, and this guy says he is more a fisherman than a restaurant owner. He also makes his own jigs, and I bought one along with an hour of instructions on how to use it. Turns out he is a friend of a friend we have in Kona, so after BS-ing about the good old days, he made us dinner and started in on how to catch fish. He was so sure of himself that he said if I didn't catch a fish on our way to Suvarrow he would give me my $30 bucks back. No need for that though: less than 3 hours after leaving the pass in Bora Bora I was hooked into a 4 ft. Mahi that took me about a hour to land. Sidewinder isn't very set up for fishing and getting around trying to fight a fish is a chore to say the least. But I did it, and boy does it taste good! Probably about 10 lbs of cleaned fillets now in the freezer, and I can't wait to get my line back in the water. I was trolling way too far back before. He told me that at the 5 or 6 knts. we go, the jig shouldn't be more than 50 or 60 ft. behind the boat. Another thing he told us is that the boat itself draws the fish in, so the closer you can keep your jigs the better, just as long as they keep their action, which is breaking water every 10 seconds or so and the rest of the time leaving a bubble "smoke" trail near the surface. Now this is for Mahi and tuna, but wahoo is a whole different ball game. They feed much deeper, so you need to have your jig at around 200 ft. deep near a drop off. So there it is Buddy, Fishing 101 from the new "expert" on the subject who is once again the great provider putting dinner on the table. Hope it continues; reeling that brute in was fun! But Suzi started crying because it was so pretty and she hated to see it die . . .  didn't stop her from eating it though. We are about 1/2 way to Suvarrow and should be there Sat. morning if all goes well. It's a National Park of New Zealand and there are only two care takers who live there along with a bunch of cruisers who can only spend 2 weeks at a time there before moving on, as we will to Tonga or American Samoa as a lot of the boats do. So tell everyone Hi for us. We are doing great (knock on wood); Sidewinder is sailing as beautifully as she always does, and now we have fresh fish to eat. 

See ya later,  David & Suzi

At Sea: 1 Day Down, 5 to Go

Location: S 15 23  W 154 42   Good winds 10-18 kts and pretty mellow seas, although they, of course, are most often coming from the north, and the wind is from the east right now. Last night, though, was absolutely beautiful and calm during my watch, and again I realized why I love to sail. The spiritual essence of night sailing is beyond description as I listen to music while gazing at the billions of stars. Mr. Half-moon smiled at me around 1:00, and the warm trades blew gently. 


Today we had mostly a great day of sailing wing on wing until two squalls hit us suddenly; it is not so gentle and calm tonight, but oh well. Ah yes, David caught an incredibly beautiful mahi yesterday about a half an hour out at sea with the new lure he bought from Joe at Bloody Mary's. I cried when I saw the fish of course; I just can't stop that initial reaction watching such beauty die, and it is crazy because, of course, I like to eat the lovely fish. Oh well. Tonight the rocky rollies have David and me a bit edgey, but it certainly could be worse! We will keep in touch.