We managed 148 miles for our first 24 hours. Right now, it's just after 4 am on Friday, August 7th and we've just passed the half way point from Rarotonga to Beveridge reef, a total distance of around 460 nautical miles. The full moon has made the sailing at night a pleasure.

We tried to raise the heavier spinnaker (the one with the sock) yesterday afternoon, but the sock jammed and the spinnaker itself ripped so we had to retire wounded. It's back to jib and main, sailing wing and wing (the jib poled out one side, the main out the other side). The tape and thin line that makes up the lower edge of the jib has started to come adrift due to the whip-cracking that happens when rolling in the downwind seas. Tane has taped it up with about 20 pieces of duct tape and it seems to be holding. We're hoping the repair is just a matter of replacing stitching, and can be done by hand.

Contrails is still in sight, and we talk on the VHF every now and then. It's looking like we'll arrive at Beveridge in the afternoon of the 9th. Too late, and the light will be wrong for entering the pass, so we'll have to spend a full night hove to, which we don't relish.

The autopilot is doing fine, and has done so for the entire passage so far, so whatever happened in the heavy weather coming to Rarotonga seems to have been transitory. We hope.

Tomas seems to have his sea legs now, and has taken off his wrist straps that are supposed to combat seasickness.