Day 13: Pacific Crossing from Mexico to French Polynesia

Chris barely touched our sails for the remainder of the night; we are indeed in the Southeast Trade winds, which are unusually high north right now.  We have a joke with the couple helping us with weather that, after the ITCZ, we’ll pop out into the Trades – “Poof!”  It was indeed “poof” – magically out into the Southern Trades in the quickest time ever through the ITCZ!  No time to clean the hull of barnacles; back to the races!  Blue skies, hot sun, and clouds clearing.  This is tradewind sailing! 

The winds are supposed to move back further south again, so we’re going to try and keep up with them and move south with them.  We are currently 2 degrees north of the Equator and our goal is to get to 2 degrees south of the Equator before the winds die down.  We may lose them and be demoted back into Stage 3 doldrums again, but we’re excited to have these winds today!  No sign of squalls either. 

Cora just woke up and said, “What do you mean we’re done with the doldrums?!  That was my favorite part.”  Oh, poor Cora who just wanted the boat not to move for just a bit!

We reached our 1,500 point; time to open another treat bag.

Work day:  Turned generator on to make water, wash clothes, clean up the boat as we sail along in these lovely winds.  We made great time today sailing.  Dinner was wahoo, rice, and green salad (we still have fresh veg).

Watch brought delights from the sky.  I saw a massive bright green ball of meteor falling, a bit eerie.  Also, the moon set on the horizon in a blood red crescent.  We were sailing directly toward the Southern Cross and Calder saw a comet.  It is so nice to have some moonlight, as the nights have been so dark until last night.

We are closing in on the Equator.

Total miles over the last 24 hours:   130.2 nm

Average speed in last 24 hours:     5.4 knots

Total miles of trip so far:  1,636.2 nm