Day 8- Savoring calmer seas

Time: 0100 Zulu noon New Cal (Wed 7 Nov)
Position: 24*08'S 162*53'E
Wind: ESE 16-17 Seas: SE 6-8-ft
Avg. Course: 256-deg T
Avg. Speed: 5.5-knots
Rig: storm jib and double-reefed mains'l
24-hr Distance noon to noon point: 131-nm
Distance to Brisbane: 547-nm

We have spent much of our past day trying to decide whether to shake out another reef, then do, then get overpowered, then pull it back in, then start the process over again. A slight overall decrease in the winds/seas has made life much more comfortable out here. This allows us to eat better, clean up a bit, and catch up on sleep while the going is mellow. In terms of food, things have been a bit different this passage as Shawn pretty much makes whatever she thinks of- no reason to try to save anything or meter it out for months in uninhabited islands anymore. Last night we had a delicious raw sprout salad with roasted red peppers (a la Trader Joes) black olives and chicken. Late this morning we followed with tri-colored Quinoa, raisin, artichoke heart chicken salad. It is fun and delicious to use the precious stores that we have been saving. And mellower seas of course helps the belly be interested.

We each rescued huge flying fish today, Chris after one launched and smacked Shawn's bum as she stood adjusting Moni, and Shawn after one landed on our upwind deck. Our chosen method thus far is scooping them up with a bowl and depositing them back into their watery home. Chris has shaken and pulled reefs in the mains'l more times than we'll count and curses the downwind lazy jack every time as it snags passing battens or wraps outside of the spreader shroud. No system is perfect, but we're pretty happy with how well things are working right now. As we move west, the sun is setting later (much to Shawn's relief as the "schedule" eliminated sunset viewing for her early in the passage) and as we move south twilight lingers longer. We are extra grateful to be in the stable High as this morning we listened on the SSB to the havoc that the tropical storm (downgraded to depression) that spawned in our wake, created on the NZ bound boats over the past night. We are aware that at the same time the US electorate has been choosing a path for the next four years. It is strange to be so far removed and we are keenly aware how much the world continues to march forward while we are out here adventuring. We've heard rumors but look forward to updates on this pivotal event. Out here, we steadily focus on each task in front of us to altogether work us consistently toward our current Brisbane goal.