June 15, 2011 Wed Traveled last 24 hours: 172 miles Miles from Bora Bora: 572 Miles Remaining to American Samoa: 518 14 11 038S, 161 32 562W

While we are out to sea, we request and receive various weather/sea reports over our HAM radio. Before we left Bora Bora, our paid weather forecaster's report predicted 7 to 10' or 12' seas throughout the trip with winds dying down on the 16th. This forecast agreed with what we had guessed would be the conditions based on our review of several weather reports. To monitor any change in conditions, we have continued to request and receive weather reports. This morning a report stated that seas would increase to possibly 15', mid-day on the 18th, the day before we are set to arrive at Pago Pago. In these weather reports, we have seen the low pressure system way south of us, around New Zealand, which is causing gale force winds and high seas there (not here) so we assume the recent high seas forecast for our area is caused by what's happening down there. Since the winds around us were light today, we turned on the second engine and powered forward at 7 knots per hour using both engines with the intention of making Pago Pago early on the 18th and thereby avoiding the high seas. Note that there is no storm or high winds expected with these 15' waves, so we would just have a slower uncomfortable ride, something we would rather avoid. This evening, thinking that high seas from the WSW were coming our way sooner than expected (which would mean that we would be taking waves on our beam rather than from behind) we decided to change course and head to Suwarrow (Cook Islands) 200 miles away to get us out of these anticipated uncomfortable waves. Again, there is no storm or high winds associated with these waves, but they are not fun. We had originally planned to stop in Suwarrow anyway, so we decided to enjoy the islands while we wait for the waves to subside. This is the beauty of not having a set schedule. On the morning of the 15th, we received new weather reports discounting our fears of troubling seas, so we have resumed a course to Pago Pago. Our half day detour has cost us only an hour, a small price to pay. We have enough diesel fuel to power to Pago Pago, but will be looking for wind to help us tomorrow or the next day. We are, after all, a sailboat. After starting the morning with delicious panko (Japanese crumbs) fried mahi mahi, we had a relatively calm day with 6' seas and 10-12 knots of wind under bright sunshine with a few clouds. Between doing watches, catching up on sleep, eating, strategizing routes, and reading, our days go by quickly.