Current conditions: Wind/weather - currently N 10 knots, Sunny, 80 F Sea state - gentle NW swell, 3 to 4 ft, 10 sec. Boat speed/course - 4.5 knots under full main, Stay sail and drifter. Course: 245 degrees

Today was laundry day. We have technically been gone on a passage for 3-weeks now, because we went out and then back, and then back out again. We had a substantial load of laundry to get done. On a boat that is an all-day project. We use as little water as possible to wash and rinse twice. We used 3 gallons of water today. Beat that Maytag.

This morning we talked to our friends on s/v Momo using our SSB radio. It is always nice to talk to them, and we enjoy each of the 'passage packages' the gave to Malou. Each package has a day number on it, on which it is to be opened. This is a great way to make a passage even more interesting for the young ones onboard. We definitely hope to be able to return the favor and to give other cruising children package for their passages.

Every other day or so, we call our local weather expert, Don Anderson, to talk about weather. Both short term but also what is ahead of us in a week or 700 miles. As summer gets closer, so does the hot humid weather that can produce tropical storms. We are still a month away from the really bad stuff, and we will be in the Marquesas by then. However, smaller systems are beginning to form between Panama and and 600 miles West of Clipperton Island (10N, 110W). The boat Moon Shadow, which is 800 miles ahead of us, sailed through some pretty nasty stuff 4 days ago. We are going to avoid that kind of weather, and have decided to give this area of unsettled weather a wide berth. According to Don Anderson we will be clear of this weather if we cross equator at 130W instead of 125W as planned, so we have changed our course to 245. This will add about 200 miles or two days to the passage, but it is well worth it.

Today's menu onboard. Breakfast. Fresh baked cinnamon rolls and bread with coffee. Lunch. Left over curried apples and lintels with rice. Dinner. Beef with curry cabbage and potatoes.

Fixed today: (day 1-7) -Tighten the prop shaft stuffing box. The stuffing box keeps the outside water out around the propeller shaft. This is a maintenance item that we does after each 20-hours of motoring.

More next time.