Time: 0100 Zulu Sat 11/3 (noon New Cal Sat 3 Nov)
Position: 20*14'S 1732*19'E
Wind: E 8-9 Seas: SE/SW 2-ft
Avg. Course: 234-deg T
Avg. Speed: 3.2-knots
Rig: 150% Drifter, triple-reefed mains'l
Distance noon to noon point: 76.4-nm
It's been a slow and steady relaxing day. Once the Drifter was up, the flogging mellowed considerably and we ghosted along. After our last canned Alaskan salmon with capers for lunch, Chris relaxed under the shade tarp for some reading. It was so mellow that he completely forgot to check in on the PacSea Net at all. It wasn't until Shawn awoke for her evening watch and asked how check-in went that it was even remembered. So, out went a SPOT and another round of e-mails assuring the folks at the PacSea Net and our relatives who watch for and listen to the check-ins that we are indeed just fine. Still mellow out, forecasts pointed to winds increasing to a maximum of 9-knots peaking around midnight. We gambled, and chose to leave the Drifter up. Although a few rounds of ominous looking clouds gave a bit of worry throughout the night, they were each quickly chased away changing from full cloud to nearly clear starry sky filled with bright moon and shooting stars and gratefully no squall activity. Just as forecast, winds peaked and then ebbed and backed a bit bringing dawn of a second Drifter-worthy day. We hope for winds to fill in a bit more later this evening. Until then, we implement our daily tasks, wait for weather to happen, and continue to move in the right direction. Some squally-low-forming activity is starting NW of us, so we're intent on gaining westing as the system will move SE to fully form over Fiji. We are watching as a super-high (over 1030) forms SW of us and are waiting to see what the next couple days brings to make a decision about continuing on through to Brisbane or making a quick stop in New Caledonia to break the trip in two.
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