We finally shut off the motor about 1000 after a good 30+ hours of running her. Just about no wind out here till mid morning and that came with a couple of squalls that then took the wind away. We've got about 2.5 knots of wind as I type this and the spinnaker is up grabbing what it can. It's not going to be a fast day for sure. We were lucky to do 120 in the last 24 because we were using the motor. It's hot and humid today like most days. I got a shower this AM(I think my second since we left) and I was still sweating like a pig before I could get up on deck to take advantage of what wind there was to dry off. Squalls came about an hour later and I just sat there in my skivies let it soak me and cool me down. We're at Lat 03 39.389N 129 56.736W on a course due south(180 degrees) making our way toward the equator. Our weather router will be forwarding a new forecast for what to expect once we get down to 02 degrees N. He'll tell us at what angle to cross over the equator so that we can avoid the bad weather that lives down there.

Both the kids re sleeping on the floor since Zephyr is still rocking back and forth. Plus, I'm sure it's a bit cooler for them. They are literally side by side. A sight we don't see often. Blue must be really hot to allow him to be that close.

We switched watches last night so I could get a bit more sleep. Tracy took the 1900 to 2300 shift and I took the 2300 to 0300 shift and then Tracy came back on for the 0300 to 0700 shift. I got a nice bit of extra sleep with the Sun down. Now the engine was running so it sounded like there was a freight train right below me but I got used to it after a while and drifted off to sleep.

Tracy's two cents:

I finished listening to S is for Silence. It helps to make the time pass fairly quick. Around 0530 I was really feeling the different night watch shift I was on and had to put some tunes on and sing my heart out to stay awake. I'm glad the engine was on to cover up by lack of knowing all the words.

It is getting to be time to dig out the bottle of Frexinet Brut that we bought in Puerto Vallarta to commemorate our becoming shellback when we cross the Equator. I'm trying to come up with a little ceremony, somewhat traditional like the bucket of salt water over the head and dressing up in costume, usually King Neptune and a mermaid...hmmm, that will be interesting. I also want to bake a pineapple upside down cake, I'm just not looking forward to the added heat.

The heat in the cabin is 90.3 degrees, so we can tell we are getting close to the Equator. The poor cats just look hot and they are lying on top of the water tanks, where it might be slightly cooler. I'm sure they would like to unzip their fur coats.

It is nice to have quiet again on the boat. The spinnaker is so colorful and fun to watch at it picks up what little breeze there is . It is a good time to let the trip sink in, I guess we had better start up those French lessons we got from Itunes. I'm counting on those French classes in Jr High, High and College to come back by osmosis. At least I'm hopeful.

I dug out a pack of brats that I'm going to take out of their casings and cook then put it onto a tortilla with deli mustard. I think I can handle that! We are slowly running out of fresh food in the veg department. I still have a baby watermelon that has lasted and lasted, let's hope it is good on the inside, the outside looks fine.

Only one squid on the deck this morning, very few waves, so no flying fish to be seen. No shark fins, no whales, no dolphin, just lots of blue.