At 11 AM we released our mooring off Christmas Island and set off on the longest leg of the voyage so far, approximately 2800 miles of Indian Ocean. Our route is SW from here and will take us past Cocos Keeling, a lovely atoll/lagoon, (not allowed to visit for my visa ran out and the AU bureaucracy cant find any way to extend, even for a few days!) and onto the island of Mauritius. I have a nice 'weather window' now that I hope will come to pass-four to five days of moderate winds 10-20. Im now in 15 knots from the east, a little bumpy but doable. Apparently very soon, the swells from the southern ocean will be reaching far north into these waters, putting cross purpose sea to wind that can be quite uncomfortable. I estimate about 3 weeks. But, for now, I leave Christmas with fond memories of a unique place on this globe of ours.

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