Day 1- We're Sailing!!

Time: 2000 Zulu (noon Hawaii time)
Position: 19-deg 37-min N 156-deg 02-min W
Wind: SW 12 Seas: SW 2-ft
Avg. Course: 193 T
Avg. Speed: 4.5-knots
Rig: 80% jib and mains'l with 1st reef
24-hr distance traveled: 2.5-nm (pushed off at 1111)
Distance to Fanning Island: 960-nm

Winds abruptly mellowed out last evening just after the sun set and we tossed and turned as isolated heavy downpours washed our decks. This morning our weather window still looked good, so we got about preparing to set sail. After our cups of tea, Chris 4200ing velcro to help it stay on his soda charger, Shawn doing final dishes, and one more fresh water hose down each, we let go the mooring at just after 0900 and made the short jaunt to the fuel dock. The harbor conditions were nice and quiet, the rain apparently keeping some of the fishermen away. We topped off barely 7-gallons of diesel and watched several fishing vessels putting over 25-times that much in ($1K!!)while we enjoyed a final non-moving meal of poached eggs and salsa over toast.

Just after 1100 we motored off the fuel dock in very light winds, Tao finally out of the harbor into the swell once again. We hemmed and hawed for a few moments as we determined where the wind and seas were actually coming from and discussed how to time getting to South Point (approximately 60-nm away) around dawn. Once we reached Kailua-Kona Bay we put the sails up, our decision, to slowly sail on the afternoon breezes and if we need to make up miles when there is no wind in the night, we'll motor then. It's been awhile! We got the sails up and the engine off while the clock struck noon and as the afternoon sea breezes filled in. We are making such good way that we actually might have to heave-to tonight in order to stay in the lee of the Big Island until dawn, so we can start our sail past South Point in daylight hours. Until then, we will gratefully enjoy a few more mellow moments of Hawaiian Aloha, sailing here in the protected lee of the Big Island.