October 31

Underway toward Opua in beam wind and sea with only 974 NM to go. Almost there. At current rate arrival could be Sunday morning. Not gonna happen. Tradewind conditions are forecast for three or four days then it's a crap shoot as low pressure coming east from Tasman Sea could provide south wind for a day or two. Big ocean swell is nice change after choppier Tongan water.

After heads up from Freezing Rain ref. a reef, checked forward on chart plotter to discover course went directly over it (the term 'over' in this case is highly misleading). Yowzers! Middle of nowhere. Three to eight thousand feet deep all around. Though currently out of range on smallest detail zoom, presumably would have seen it on closer approach, but Marie gets a free drink next available watering hole. Something like that could ruin an otherwise perfectly acceptable evening. Course altered appropriately.

Buddies on Inspiration Lady who made Kiwiland on 28th are bedazzled after two years away by first-world civilization. Lest you have forgotten, Gary's the guy sailing around the world who doesn't like fish or salt water and hurls when the boat rocks. Give him KFC and Clamato juice (to mix with beer... it's a Canadian thing) and he's a happy camper. Have requested more critical information in next email like best bars and location of highest coronary-artery-clogging ice cream.

Jack