TAHITI TO GAMBIER ISLANDS about 890 nm
STATISTICS FOR DAY 7
Position: (can be cut in pasted into google earth): 23 12.620S 137 01.256W Distance traveled today(as the crow flies): 126 nm
Distance left to travel (as the crow flies): 113nm
Number of fish caught: Zero so far. ‘Caught’ has to include getting the fish aboard, and so far the fish are winning. A couple of ‘biggies’ have run away with a few of our favourite lurers, but no one landed yet.
LAST NIGHT
Last night the wind died. The sea became completely flat. Not a ripple on the surface of the gentle undulations of the ocean swell. This flat surface made a perfect mirror to the stars and the night illuminate up like a Fourth of July celebration.
Staring up into the sky you can not help but get captivated by the density of stars that make up the great swath of the Milky Way. We are just one solar system in the billions that swirl around our galaxy. Being situated on an outer arm, we get to look back through this dense swirl of stars as we spin endlessly into the expanding infinity of the Universe.
Getting sick of this poetic rhetoric? Almost done, promise.
As the boat cut gently through the calm ocean surface tiny organisms became agitated stimulating them to release chemicals that allowed them to bio-luminesce. It seemed like sheets of light spread out around the boat giving the feeling of riding on a magic carpet.
Done with the poet stuff, promise.
THIS MORNING
This morning the winds returned. A gentle breeze has come from the south south east to guide us in on the final leg of our journey. If the winds stay fair we should be able to sail into the Gambier Islands by afternoon tomorrow?
Our luck with the weather still seems to be holding. A few heavy clouds and rain passed by ahead of us, but so far we have not been hit by anything and the skys look generally clear and sunny again.
A LITTLE FUN
We passed one of the last of the atolls, Morane, before we reach the Gambier. Being so close to land we usually encounter a lot more sea birds. Yesterday it was Tropic birds. Elegant white birds with an orange beak and distinctive long trailing tail feathers. None seemed to ‘glow in the dark’. (See last blog about nuclear testing)
Today it was Boobies and the game of ‘chase the Boobies off’. Why do they always want to land on my boat? They are quite persistent as well. It has been my unending job to keep these fine feathered friends from pooping on my deck space!
ON THE FINAL STRETCH
The humans are doing their usual human stuff. Making food, doing dishes, reading, adding oil to the engine, cleaning, watching movies. Me I am doing my usual doggy stuff, and making them clean up after me. We have all really enjoyed the sail, but can not wait to stretch our legs again when get anchored off a lovely tropical island with a long white sandy beach. Gambier’s here we come!
* You are getting this blog by the miracle of radio waves, so you will have to wait for the pictures to be added later ‘when’ we get some internet again. We have heard through the cruisers net that the generator in Rikitea is down. It has to be sent by ship back to Tahiti for repairs. It may be a while before you get any pictures or video. Sorry guys.
END.
