We crossed back to the North and are still making reasonable progress to home. We shook out the reef and are pretty much making our desired course straight for Kaneohe. This will probably change as we move north into the ITCZ where we can expect storms and weird winds for a hundred miles or so. Will keep you posted as we move along, David

We have just completed our third day of the return voyage and are 510 miles down the track so our average runs are 170miles pere day so far. The wind has swung into the south east, normal trades below the equator. We are sailing with one reef and the small jib wung out on the pole. The next change in sails will be to shake the reef and then set a bigger jib as we sail into the ITCZ, aka doldrums. We are studying the grib weather maps to find the fastest route to our Hawaiian NNE trade winds. The time it will take to cross the ITCZ will determine how fast a trip this is. Once we clear it we can predict our ETA pretty accurately. Life aboard is slow and mellow, books and Magazines being read, driving , or watching the pilot drive and eating, Last Night was Nana's chili. Still trying for our first Mahi Mahi in months. We did pick up a small Kava Kava off the airport leaving Nuku Hiva, Let him go. We hope to be back in the northern hemisphere this evening. Aloha David

We departed Daniels Bay at 0630 this morning. Motored to the wind line for two hours and started sailing for home. We have done 75 miles so far and are still moving right along at 6 to 7 knots. Wind has been a steady 13 to 14k from the east, all good for us so far. Im on watch so thats all for now, Later David

We dropped Nancy at the Nuku Hiva airport at noon today for here fight Home to Hawaii. We rented a truck and did a driving tour to Taipivai and another villiage on the North side called Hatiheu. The East and North sides were pretty windy so we decided too change our departure plans.. I didn't wand to beat around the East and North ends to we decided to leave Taiohae as quickly as possible and send the night at Daniels Bay with less rolling around. We will depart early morning for Hawaii . Looks like pretty good wind at the start and hopefully all the way home. Will try to keep up with the blogs and our progress. We have done it in12 days and 16 days in 2015 so we are optimistic for another fast trip . No storms this year please. David

Greetings all This morning we woke up to drizzle and rolly Taiohae bay after a lousy nights sleep , at least for me. I decided to skip the Bakery an ice run and move on to Taipivai early this morning . An hour and a have later were arrived and this bay seems like it will be a bit better, at least the wind and waves seem to be moving in the same direction. Everyone is knocked out for naps but are beginning to stir. There is a small river at the head of the bay that I hope to be able to run the dingy into and drop people of this afternoon. I have neverbeen ashore myself and so will make a special effort to go in and have a look around. This bay has a mud bottom and no coral as in most of the Marquesas, so anchoring and pulling up are easy except for the mud on deck. Looks like we are headedfor shre shortly so I will finish this a bit later. or make a new blog if I loose this one. Back from our walk. We were able to zip into the river and tie the avon to a tree and hike into town. the first half mike was a beach and a rough road until we hit the main concrete road into taipivai town. There is a huge walled archeological site as we walked into town Stone platforms, reconstructed grass fares and meeting rooms. Wewalked the loop about 2 miles and ended dragging back to the boat for drinks and more rest. We plan to stay a second night here in Taipivai , and then go back to Taiohae for fuel and the last shopping. I have to go and check out with the federal Gendarmes. It could be interesting because we are currently overstayed or 3 months by a week or so. The problemstems from us going into Raiatea because of the bad weather and geeting Nancy to an airport to fly home in July. We also had fuel and engine issues. Bottom line is we entered French polynesia two weeks earlier than originally planed. Fingers crossed they don't give me too much heat. Nancy will be home Sunday Oct 14, tired and sleepy . Good day, David p olice

Greetings: After an easy 4 hr sail from Ua -Pou to Nuku Hiva on Friday and two nights in a super nice bay on the suth west end of Nuku Hiva know to the cruising world as Daniels Bay named after the Marquesan fellow that used to welcome cruising boats years back. He is gone, but the bay and anchorage remain. Folks from Taiohai bring tours in now fr a4 hr up and down hike to a waterfall up the valley. I did some dingy trolling around the bay and got a Kaku, blue Bone and a nice 4# papio that was dinner last night.. WE pulled anchor this morning at 0700 and motored one hour up the coast to Taiohae. This is the main town on Nuku Hiva and where we will check out from with the French authorities at the end of the week. We did a little shopping this morning , Mark is checking out town and the rest of us are resting on the boat. Tomorrow Clay Hutchinson arrives to help with the delivery to Hawaii. We will probably move down the coast for a couple of nights to Taipivai, the setting for Herman Melville's Novel Taipee. Then its back to Taiohae and off to the airport to drop off Nancy for the the fight back to Hawaii on Saturday night. David