1200 Local / 2000 GMT It's amazing. We are sailing smoothly at 5 ½ knots. The wind is on our beam, the seas are calm. The sun is out and all is well on board. There is nothing but blue blue ocean in all directions as far as I can see, with a clear horizon and small, white, puff clouds. We have our large white mainsail flying and also a huge red and white striped drifter, a light air sail, billowing ahead of the boat and driving her forward. We are just leisurely sailing along, hoping it will last for the rest of the journey.

We have sailed for 19 days, about 2600 nautical miles with about 450 to go. If all goes well we hope to make landfall on Monday or Tuesday in Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia. Dennis and I are both very psyched to be doing this passage, and are anxious to arrive.

We haven't seen another boat or person for nearly two weeks. We are in radio contact twice daily with about 10 boats spread out over about 700 miles. The leading two boats are hoping to make landfall tomorrow which is exciting. Wavelength, our buddy boat (we've sailed with them since Virginia four years ago) may be the third boat to arrive - Yay!!. They are about 120 miles ahead of us and doing very very well. I think Eileen from Wavelength and I have both earned our stripes (as my son puts it) as true "Sailor Chicks." And Captains Dennis and Mark can't be beat.

We have eaten much of our fresh and refrigerated food so there is now an empty space to chill the long awaited French Champagne. Can't wait to pop that cork.

Thanks to all who are supporting and following us. Comments and emails are very much appreciated. Stay tuned as the journey continues. COG 267 magnetic-rhumb line; speed 5.5 knots.

Heidi wrote that earlier this afternoon. After that, we did the evening "safety net" check-in, took down the drifter for the evening, set the genoa and staysail and watched the speed build as the wind built. We are now (6:00 PM Local) doing high sixes and into the low 7 knot range. Yee Hah! The lack of wind that was predicted for today and tonight has not materialized, and we are very happy about that. This kind of sailing is just fine in my book, thank you very much! It's the " milk run" stuff we kept reading about.

Cheer