Busy 24hrs

Greetings from 145-1/2 West on the blue path to paradise!
Yesterday's light air frustrations and maintenance business were offset with grins and baths. The full sun roast was delayed until late afternoon when a few minutes was all that it took to dry off. Sun screen shortage is not a problem yet. Another excellent offering from the galley studs, Thai tinged chicken stir fry...superb.

Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you. The Starboard 2200 - 0200 watch finished off with our first squall, moving right-to-left (not the norm) at about 20 knots with rain. They gnawed on that one for awhile with great boat speed and the aftermath of light air wasn't bad, by our standards, so we did most of the eating. Port watch followed suit with a left-to-right pup with less punch. We chewed that one up easily but the bloody thing got in a good swipe of a parting shot on us with the lightest stuff to date, 2+ knots. Port retired at 0600 only to be back up for a gybe at 0730 as another, wet and blowy one rolled over us. Then it was gybe, peel a kite, gybe, peel....call out the bandits!

The view from the back of the boat during these intense duels with the elements is a beautiful thing, decades and thousands of miles of sailing savvy are obvious as the dance before the mast plays out. Voices are loud, sure, they have to be in the noise and urgencies but never without purpose and when Music has settled back into her ways the damage and injuries are minimal, heck, Gord looks to be over today's already! None of this is lost on the cockpit, we focus on every cue from those voices in order to help make their execution of our maneuvers safe and successful.

As I write Port watch is back on and the maintenance continues but at least it is lower key and Starboard watch gets some well earned rest. Running at 6 - 9 knots on or about the rhumb line, full sun, enjoying it for now, will remember it late tonight, perhaps. Our nemesis, Checkered Past, is over the horizon at present, we are solidly holding second place in Division. Music continues to graciously and forgivingly do all we ask of her.

To our loves and accomplices back home, we miss you and look forward to our next meeting.
Aloha! - Bob Peters

JM note: Because the boat is constantly moving, the ocean is a VERY wearing environment. Things that stay solidly in place dock side, or even bay or coastal sailing don't get a rest out here. As such, lots of little things pop up that may never had, had we not done this race. Plus, we are pushing Music hard! Not over pushing, or being reckless, but just plain sailing hard. That means more wear and tear on the boat. All this takes it's toll, but so far, as Bob said, Music is VERY gracious, and resilient. Thanks for all of the greetings and well wishes - sure brings a smile to us. With luck, we'll be in Kaneohe in 4 or 5 days and then we'll rest. For now it's race, investigate, repair if necessary, eat and sleep. I couldn't have asked for a better crew!! This is and has been a total team effort - all the way. We'll got to get some rest now. This will go out when we connect with SSB to sailmail. Can't be sure when that will be, but it will happen most likely tonight.
Love to all, and especially my darling wife, Gail. - John