Day 25- refelctions over 5 time zones

Time: 1700 Zulu (7 am Hawaii time)
Position: 19-deg 51-min N 153-deg 09-min W
Wind: ENE 17-knots Seas: NE 6-7-ft Mixed
Avg. Course: 271 T Avg. Speed: 5.0-knots
Rig: 80% jib
24-hr distance traveled: 120-nm
Distance to Hilo: 109-nm

Yesterday afternoon we again jibed over and spent 4-hrs on port tack to hold our southing as the winds continue to veer more easterly. In preparation, we switched our non-Zulu timepieces from PV time to Hawaii time creating a minimum of confusion. We uploaded and downloaded several times in a flurry of last moment pre-Kamehameha holiday e-mails to customs and the quarantine inspector in hopes of having most everything lined up for both Grizzly and our check-ins tomorrow and/or Monday. Dinner was Chinese lemon chicken over rice and then we settled in for our night watches. Dreamworks clouds and a half moon waxing were present before sunset. Later, shooting stars, the southern cross, Scorpio and the Milkyway were gazed upon. Nighttime temperatures have been quite pleasant, feeling cold with increased moisture, not low temperatures. Only two small squalls visited us, one during Chris' graveyard watch and one during Shawn's sunrise watch. Both were weathered well with the awning cutting out 3/4 of the rainfall and holding up well in gusts just above 20-knots.

We turned on the VHF today. Memories of our early cruising life flooded back as we immediately recognize the computerized woman's voice providing NOAA weather. Must be back in the States! Close, but we are grateful to have yet another 24-hrs of sailing. Still, as it is impossible to contain our excitement a mere day from landfall, we've gotten a bit reflective...

What we'll miss: the novelty of living in motion and sharing this on the blog, 360-degree horizons always visible, witnessing each moment of every sunrise and sunset the complete transition between day and night, participating in roll calls and HF radio contacts, being disconnected and completely off-the-grid, feeling an intimate connection with the ocean, hearing the lull of water rushing past the hull, and spending quiet solitary hours awake amid the ocean wilderness inspiring deep thoughts about life.

What we won't miss: the roll. It colors everything aboard. (We have likened it to the fire swamp in the movie The Princess Bride, you get to expect it and know when the big ones will happen so you can prepare but there is no avoiding it). We will not miss spilling water on ourselves while trying to take an innocent sip, being bruised merely moving around the boat, barely having one hand to hold onto our food, cleaning dishes inside a washing machine with flying knives, cutting boards and food trimmings, or quick visits braced inside the head.

What we look forward to: calmer water (read: reduced roll), setting up our king sized bed and all of us sleeping together- as long as we want, spending awake time together, exercising, swimming, connection with the land and getting an introduction to the aloha of the Hawaiian Islands from the ocean.