Conditions: Wind/weather - steady 20 knts ENE, no sight of sun today, overcast. Sea state - Day 11: swells grew to breach the toerails and trickle through the cockpit scuppers, uncomfortable motion. Day 12: better Boat speed/course - Day 11: 6.3 under jib and double-reefed main. Day 12: 5+ knots. Wing-on-wing, drifter and staysail with single-reefed main. Course: 245

Days 11 and 12 have come and gone. Day 11 was a little uncomfortable; rolly and bumpy. The ocean swells increased, picking up the stern and setting her back down every 6 seconds, the boat rolling side to side in between. This can happen when you're running directly downwind and the swell is from the side; the wind is 'pushing' you forward, but nothing is preventing the swell from pushing you sideways.

As we monitored the increased swell, we also monitored some weather disturbances SE of us that were threatening to organize, and some convections, (warm moist air of summer storms), a few hundred miles ahead. As I write, we have passed the SE systems, and are trying to stay northwest of any SUBSTANTIAL low pressure systems or convections. However, we are nearing the ITCZ, (Intertropical Convergence Zone), also known as the doldrums, an area of low barometric pressure that lies between the north and south trade wind regions, near the Equator. This zone currently lies between 5 and 10 degrees north; (we are currently 13 N, heading for way point 12N, 125W). The later in the summer you cross the doldrums, the warmer the air and water, which can fuel more aggressive squalls, (just as summer in the midwest can bring heavy thunderstorms). We plan on crossing the ITCZ at 130 degrees W, a slightly more narrow band of low pressure.

We are grateful that we purchased the Single Sideband in San Diego; this equipment, which we use to post these logs, allows us to speak daily to a weather expert named Don Anderson. Don lives in Oxnard, CA, and runs a HAM and mariners SSB weather service covering the huge area from Neah Bay, WA, down to Panama, and west to Hawaii and the Marqueses.

After we get through the ITCZ and pop out at about 5 degrees north, our lives should again be relatively easy, as we pick up the SE tradewinds. Steen and I are prepared for squally weather and thunderstorms. We have the equipment, information, and knowledge, (I'm pretty sure), to handle what the ITCZ would typically dole out in May. We spent the last two days securing the cabin and decks for anything that might come upon us. Well, we still have our extremely heavy outboard lashed to the taffrail, (stern railing), but if we knew that something big was brewing, that too would be stowed below.

The good news is we don't have to worry about the possibility of any cyclonic disturbances, (or hurricane weather). That weather just cannot sustain itself near the equator, and will not be found this time of year between us and the Marqueses.

Regarding Malou: She is of course oblivious to the fact that we are preparing for the possibility of bad weather. At any given time of day, under any conditions - sunny, overcast; windy or calm; she is perfectly content to pop up into the cockpit with her Dora bag or Hello Kitty backpack, both chock full of wonderful little toys; plastic dogs, necklaces, finger puppets, random little plastic 'people'. These items carry on conversations and play games 'together' in an imaginary world. When that gets boring, she watches a movie; Nickelodeon, Wiggles, Nemo, etc., while sitting in her room near the companionway. She's never far from Mom and Dad, and seems to like it that way; except, of course, when we are trying to keep track of her at the beach, or park. She definitely does not seem to suffer from separation anxiety.

I didn't get to Day 12 yet, (which was better motion-wise), but it is time to start night watches, which means if I don't go to bed now, (2100 hrs) 9:00 pm, I'll miss my chance at getting three hours of sleep before my midnight watch.

The days roll right by, more quickly than we had imagined; at least thus far. That feeling might change, but overall, I think we are doing well and enjoying the experience. I usually use my night watch to jot down log notes and remarks, so I will try to organize some of those for the next posting.

Take care all, and remember to try Google Earth to plot our positions or just have fun looking of an aerial view of your neighborhood.

Angela and the captain and crew. p.s. Blue-beaked, webbed-footed, brown-feathered birds were still on our bowsprit this morning...We've named them Al and Bobbie.