We left Hilo on schedule on 23 July at 0900, so today is day 3 at sea. Our first 20 hours were quite challenging, perhaps due to the refraction of waves being driven by 25K winds on to the islands. The wind blew 20-25 K, which would have been okay, but the sea state knocked us around like a toy. Steep waves broke on the bow, sending large amounts of water down the gunwhales and in some cases up and over the dodger. Got pooped a lot. Discovery got pounded when she rose on a steep wave and slammed into the next trough. She shuddered but handled it like a pro.

That lasted all that first night, subsiding in the early morning yesterday. We could not sleep due to the pounding, so we were both pretty knackered yesterday. At one point Andy awoke from a sound sleep, looked around crazed and started talking about a bomb going off. "That was the bow, Honey". Today is much better, with calmer seas and a nice 15K breeze. We're doing 6K.

Andy spends huge amounts of time gazing out at the ocean (while Betty reads). Let's ask him what that's all about.

Q: Captain Andy, what's with all the gazing? Andy: I'm fascinated by the waves in the ocean, the variety and the size and the shapes and how the boat rides over them. I've done that ever since I was little. I am mesmerized and calmed by it. It's like therapy for me. Q: Is that all? Andy: Well, I'm also watching the squalls, how they build, move and break down. Q: How about sea life? Andy: Yeah, always searching for Moby. Q: How was that first day out for you? Andy: Rough. some of the roughest waves I've ever been in. Some of those waves were 15 feet high; when they pile up on each other they get steep, with a very short time period between crests. It wasn't much fun, I'll tell you that.