Day Four

Monday 4th May 1700hrs position 29degrees 24min south 178degrees 19min east currently under motor doing about 6 knots wind slight no more than 5 knots southerly

Well a good night sail with the wind southerly 15 to 20knots doing on average over 7knots, swell no more than 2 meters . The winds died down this morning and the sea a deep blue and became south westerly for a while and then south easterly. With great effort we put the spinnaker up (not because its was difficult but because every thing at sea is done with such effort even going to the toilet or writing in the log.) We've chased the wind with the spinnaker for last 8 hours and admittedly made a respectable 6knots on average but both Matt and I am exhausted and when the spinnaker finally hang limp on the deck and I could not coax any more life out of it we went the iron sail. We are quite mindful that we do not have enough fuel on board so am trying to keep motoring down to a minimum - 22 hours in total so far.

Mom has made spaghetti bolognaise ' for dinner ' great. As were in for a quite night we shall thin the shifts out to all get some good sleep. Still 3 days to Minerva. Sea temp already 21 with a promise of things to come. Missing Joshua heaps.

Skipper

Don't know where the days have gone. In between a blur of seasickness when the boat turned into a vomit comet, I lost a couple of days. Matt and I took our Pahia Bombs (seasick tablets) at lunchtime on day one, thinking that was way too early, as the going was so easy. However by the following morning, matt was complaining that they weren't working too well, and, a little later we were all competing with him for the side rail! Day two with confused lumpy seas made everyone seasick. We hardly ate anything and couldn't keep anything down, I only had two segments of mandarin all day - great for crash dieting! Unfortunately it also meant that the seasick tablets woudn't take hold either, so day two blurred into day three. Matt and Charles did a sterling job keeping us going thoughout the second night. We had anticipated sailing into a storm that was to "sling shot" us into the pacific and had reefed our main all ready. however, the storm never seemed to arrive and eventually, as everything was looking good, we shook out the reef and got back to some real sailing. Naturally, the storm then came up and we had to get back to being reefed and battling it! With just the storm jib up, the boys sailed four hour watches throughout the night. It was wet and cold, with poop waves coming into the cockpit and the wind gusting up to 50 knots. When they weren't on watch, they would just lie down and rest in the wet cockpit, so they could help each other out when needed. Very heavy going for both of them, but they did a great job. Mom on the other hand, was OK lying down but was sick every time she stood up. So, despite valiant efforts to get the boys something to snack on, or drink, felt guilty at not being capable of very much. The only thing I could do was to pray for the seas to calm and the winds to ease, which I did with all my might!! They eventually did and the next day was easier going. 

We felt deserving of the delicious chocolate cookies that Kendall made for us, as we tucked into them. I must admit, although the weather was awful, we all felt completely safe and not in any danger. When we are in the cockpit, we have our lifejackets on and are always clipped on, so we can't fall out if a freak wave comes over the side. Day three and calmer weather meant that we could keep our seasick tablets down and all return to being functional again, yay! It's amazing to think we're so far away from land. 

All around us is sea, we see the odd seabird from time to time, and Charles and Emma saw a big ship on the horizon last night but it didn't come our way. The stars in the sky were magnificent last night and the winds are definitely getting warmer, which is nice.We had an easy tea of spaghetti and pesto last night to give us energy for the night, and we're enjoying the fresh fruit on board, which I realise we do not have enough of. I didn't think we could carry it all, but our hammocks actually hold a lot and i wish I'd brought more apples and oranges as we're having to ration them out to everyone except the skipper and first mate (matt). 

Matt found a flying fish had landed on the deck during the night, if only he hadn't have thrown it back overboard, we could've had fish for breakfast! Instead we had cuppa soups and bread (very boring, but nice when you've been up all night!)

We're looking forward to our first real tea since we've been at sea tonight, spaghetti bolognaise. We tend to eat early, about 4.30pm so we have time to clean up afterwards before it gets dark.

We're envious of you and your showers - there's only so much that wetwipes can do and even the teenagers don't spend long in the heads (bathroom) when it's lurching from side to side!! 

-- Joy