Yep, still in American Samoa waiting for decent weather to sail to Tonga. For the weather buffs, we are under the South Pacific Convergence Zone and the weather is chaotic. One low pressure system after another passes and the wind varies from zero to 35 knots while rotating a full 360 degrees in 24 hours. There is torrential rain, spectacular lighting and outside the harbor the seas are chaotic. We are wrestling with the choice of trying to get out when the wind is light and variable (and the seas are 6-8 feet), or when the reinforced trades are blowing (and the seas are 12-15). Joy!

We were all set to go this week, but the breeze came in a bit earlier and stronger than forecast and we hunkered down and watched about half the boats in the anchorage drag anchor. It is dead calm now and we will try again Monday and hopefully make it to Northern Tonga before getting clobbered. This is definitely shattering our vision of peaceful downwind sailing in warm trade-winds.

On the positive side; Mary and I spent a wonderful afternoon pretending to be vacationing ashore while sipping beers on the Pago Pago Yacht Club deck. Breezes blowing across a spectacular South Pacific Island harbor, children playing on the sand, cold local beer... Ahhh!

The typical highs and lows, but all is well on s/v Whisper.