Leaving Tonga - On the Way to New Zealand

Hi all,
As of Thursday December lst (this side of the dateline)we have left Tonga 36 hours ago, and are now 200 miles southwest of our starting point. We are sailing fast in rough seas. we are averaging 7 knots, but have seen 9.5 knots.
The seas are mixed swells about 10 feet high, coming from two directions - making the sea much like a washing machine. we are buddy boating along with S/V Fugue. It's strange to see a sail nearby on the horizon 24 hours a day. We just have to make sure we don't crash into each other.
Kids have been a bit green around the gills - especially Tamsyn. A few drips coming in as we are taking big seas over the bow and burying the rail frequently. We hope to reach Minerva Reef in 36 hours or so. There we can rest in the lagoon, and wait for a good weather window to continue the rest of the way to New Zealand.
To Jennifer & Aaron - please make a blog comment giving your email addresses (we won't publish the comment. We can't find yours and would love to visit.
Miss you all.
Owen, Carrie, Tamsyn & Griffyn
S 20 58.502
W 176 13.1188
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