We're in the home stretch for the equator. It's been a long tough 19 days but were only about 40 miles from it. Last night, we hoisted the main and forestaysail in 15-17 knots of wind out of the Southeast and took off slowly at about 3 knots through the night. That's 3 knots if we were lucky. Don't know if there was a current holding us back or what but there was just no way to get much more out of Zephyr. We were closed hauled(wind coming over the port bow side at about 50 degrees to the wind. Not the fastest point of sail any way you look at it. By 1000 this AM we started up the engine to not only recharge the batteries but to engage the transmission and try and get somewhere. We only made 65 miles in the last 24 hours and that is the worst day we have had since we left by far. At the rate we were going, we wouldn't make the equator till sometime tomorrow morning. With the engine running, we can make 5 to 7 knots and we should arrive at the equator about 2000 hours(about 8:00PM pdt). At that time of day, we're not sure how much partying we will be doing other than recite a verse to Neptune welcoming us over the magical line of the equator making us "Shellbacks". Now we just have to find a tattoo place to mark us as having done it(yeah, right).

We're currently at 00 45.434N 130 30.481W on a course of about 180T. We've made 2291 miles since we left and once we get to the equator, we'll change course to more of 220 degrees and put up the spinnaker tomorrow AM and take off. If the winds we have now continue, which we believe they will, we will make good time traveling down wind with that sail. Heck, it's as big as our first house!!

We finally opened up he stern cabin for the kids and they seem happy about that though they don't spend much time back there. Most times either in their thrones(cat tree we smuggled aboard three years ago) or sleeping on the floor over one of the water tanks as it's cooler there. Blue goes out on occasion to see what is going on but doesn't stay long and we make sure she is either watched or the screen door is put in so she has to stay inside. Even with the netting we have on the lifelines, we don't want to take a chance of loosing either of them overboard. They wouldn't last long in the rolling swells we've had around Zephyr this trip.

Many of the boats that left the same time we did are now arriving at the Marquesas. They took a faster route and had full use of their sails. We lost the use of our big Genoa sail the third day and there hasn't been a safe day to go up the mast to fix it. So we make due the best we can with what we have and push on. The goal is now in sight!!!

Tracy's two cents: Last night was the best we have had for star gazing. I think I've found the Southern Cross, at least it is the only constellation that even remotely looks like a cross. It is at 180 degrees and is fairly bright. The Big Dipper is still visible in the Northern Hemisphere, so it is fun to view them both during night watches.

I haven't felt up to snuff today, don't know why, just off, maybe sleep depravation is finally getting to me. Heaven knows there aren't any germs out here. I think I'm going to take out two preprepared meals from the grocery in the US and stick them in the microwave tonight and take the night off. Sounds good to me.

Not much to add, just looking forward to crossing the Line. I almost expect there to be a big red line in the ocean! I think we'll make crowns out of foil and do our crossing ceremony, offer Neptune his due, take a glass for ourselves then hit the sack for an hour or two.

No waves while we were traveling so slowly, so no suicides last night.