Date: 07/15      

Noon to noon run:  NM
Time of position: 18:00
Lat/Lon: 04 00.26'N deg 147 deg 05.85'W
Course: 342 deg Mag
Current Speed: 6.0kt, approximately
Next Waypoint: 18 deg 50.39'N; 155 deg 36.08'W
               1020 NM distance
Synopsis: Yesterday evening the light air dissolved into zero wind for the night resulting in us firing up the iron genoa (our diesel engine) to make any speed at all. We finally reached our turning mark this morning just after 9AM. And with that, our next mark is located off the SE corner of the big island at the coordinates above. While this is about 200NM short of our destination, it represents our earliest possible landfall which seems a good thing to aim for. After all to get to Oahu we would have to sail by it anyway. As our destination gets closer, we may well decide not to pass by the big island so close, but that is a choice for the future.

Our latest surface analysis weather faxes show the ITCZ running through this longitude at about 5 deg N. So we may well get to deal with that too. Let's hope the wind gods are favorable and supply us with adequate, but not to much wind to safely speed us on our way. This morning we made about 5kt boat speed with 7Kt apparent wind. Over the day the wind built to about 10Kt while the seas remained flat with long rolling swells. Even though we are close reaching again we have had no spray on deck and that has allowed us to open hatches and port lights, and air the boat out - Ahh! for appetizers tonight we had a variety of cheeses, crackers, and our last apple. Even though we are half way, we are going to hold off celebrating because it was so close to our equator crossing celebration of last night that it just seemed to soon to have another celebration. Maybe instead we will have a "less then 750 mile mile" celebration -or- a "past the doldrums" celebration.

It is time for me to post this and hit the rack. After all, I'll be back on watch in 5 hours, at midnight.