Friday, May 27 Day 11. We are still without wind, so we continue to motor north. The irony is that a blow is predicted to arrive on Monday and Tuesday. It won't be anything huge, (up to 30 kts, but not forecast to be over that.) but it's a funny thing to be becalmed, knowing it's going to get pretty windy soon. The wind will be at a good direction, and we should make some good distance with it.

Another milestone. Dutch harbor is now less than 2000 miles in front of us. In fact, it is 1923. Progress. Majuro is now 1155 behind us.

Now, a sad story. Rubbish. Rubbish floating out here, in the middle of nowhere since we set out 11 days ago. At first, we thought it was from the local islands. That is very common. The island people for centuries used organic materials for everything and simply threw them into the water for disposal. Now, western man has given them plastics. The island people are well aware that the plastics are bad for their environment. They are not stupid or so primitive, but the old "It is our culture." mindset is difficult to change. So, we have often seen rubbish floating in the ocean as we approached an island. This is not that. This is bigger. The magnitude is this: As we sit and watch the day, we see pieces of rubbish, styrofoam bits, plastic bottles, glass bottles, discarded debris all day long. We do not get more than an hour without spotting something and more often it is only a few minutes in between spottings. Take a look at our map and our position. Where does this stuff come from? Hawaii? Unseen ships "out there?" Whatever, it is very sad, and serves as a reminder that plastics are criminal - they don't go away. And that your ocean, poor girl, is serving as the planet's rubbish bin. Sorry, but sometimes we need to hear the bad too.

Now go be excellent to each other! Oh, and Rick, nice to hear you are sailing with us. Welcome aboard.

Rod and Elisabeth, "Your Rock and Roll Argonauts" "Les Pirates d'Honneur"