Fifteenth Day

Our current position is:

08° 25' 358 S
127° 47' 978 W

We have covered 2,500 nautical miles with just over 650 remaining.

For the first time in over a week, the sea conditions have calmed down enough that it is no longer Mission Impossible to walk from one end of the boat to the other. The seas had been so incredibly choppy with huge waves coming in from the side breaking over the boat that it made it virtually impossible to do anything with any degree of comfort. I don't care if we're not going as fast as we'd like, I just like the fact that I can sit and relax and not worry about being thrown from pillar to post.

We've been at sea for 15 days now, the longest trip taken to date and we're hoping to arrive in Fatu Hiva in the middle of next week. Although we haven't had a current to help us on our way, we're certainly not unhappy with our progress.

Today is my birthday. How many of you get taken to such exotic locations on your birthdays? Dinner will be 'al fresco' under the stars dans le cockpit de Calypso and, hopefully, seared tuna with teriyaki sauce on the menu (depending, of course, on what El Capitano and chief angler can snag). A wonderful ocean view, the sounds of gently lapping waves - what more could a girl ask?! Perhaps a French chef to prepare it all and serve it but... what the hell, I'm not complaining!

Fresh veggies are getting a tad scarce. The last remaining potatoes are definitely past their sell by, eat by or just-out-of-desperation by dates. The carrots, despite the green baggy, look decidedly unappetising, however, the last cabbage and the butternut squash remain hopeful and we still have some usable onions. I'm usually sprouting mung beans at this stage but it's been far too rough, my sprouter would have become a flying missile long before any sign of life from the beans could be detected. Even my yoghurt is complaining - I can only hope it comes right when we finally get to more settled conditions.

Our fellow travelers aboard Liquid Courage still have their resident booby with them. He flies off for a few hours at a time fishing for his food but seems quite content having his floating resting spot to return to each day. Prior to reaching the Marquesas, they're not sure if they're going to have to add him to the crew list, claim him as a stowaway or declare him as a pet which could prove a problem.

We've been unable to get connected in order to get emails in and out for a couple of days now but we'll keep trying.