Lazy Sunday enroute to Guadalcanal

So we are having a lazy Sunday here in the tropics. For the first time in a couple of days it isn't raining, or thundering, so we are content to sail along at a leisurely 3 knots towards the Solomon Islands. We jumped from Vanuatu on the evening of the sixth.

Our first day out we had to motor a lot, as there was No wind at all. The 550 miles to our next port stretched out like a huge gulf what with the knowledge back in your mind that all that open ocean wouldn't be a good place to get caught in during a hurricane.

The last couple of days we've sailed - yesterday with strong winds (25 knots!) and today with 5 to 8 knots. The forecast is for the wind to peter out sometime in the next 24 hours. We'll probably motor again when that happen.

so here we are, enjoying the sun and a nice little breeze. On the stereo the kids are listening to Christmas music from WWII; Dinah Shore, Judy Garland and th usual suspects. I've been reading and dozing, Carrie is doing sudoko (I know, I know), and the kids are cutting out fantastic paper snowflakes. We all got the bed late last night, as school ran late, dinner was late (rice and red lentils)and the movie we watched (the 2009 Star Trek) also ran past 9 o'Clock. Tired kids, long night of watches coming.

Then it was time to rig the lee cloths and make up the beds. While that happened I thought I'd peak at the engine fluid levels. It would only take a few minutes to do (no really - I believed that would be the case)to take raise the ladder and remove the two engine covers. Ha. Taking off the second cover I son found that on one side the insulation - which dampens sound and acts as a heat barrier, was falling off, hanging down where it come in contact with the engine. Bad.

So for the next hour out came the tools, drills, screws, washers, silver insulation tape. A proper mess. It all got sorted out better than it had been. Oh... and I checked the engine fluid levels. They're fine, thanks for asking.

So by the time it was lights out, Orion was high overhead ( upside down I might add) and the Southern Cross hung over our cockpit (that detail's for you Rob). It was a quiet evening during which we made fifty miles. More importantly there was little swell so our sleep was deep and uninterrupted.

So here we are, plugging away towards Guadalcanal, trying to conserve fuel, and keeping an eye on the weather. We are over half way on our trip, and the majority of oen water is behind us.

Owen

2:00 UTC Dec 9th (1:00 pm Solomon's time)
S 10 46.374
E 164 04.237

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