Days at sea completed: 18

Distance sailed in the last 24 hours (nm): 159 Distance sailed total (nm): 2434 Distance to go until French Polynesia, as the crow flies (nm): 247

Wind Speed & Direction (knots): E 16 Waves (ft): ESE 4

--- See the map on our blog for our current location---

MARK: Another great day with lots of miles under the boat in very steady trade winds. Not much exciting to report, which generally is a good thing on passage! The most exciting thing of all, is that we are nearly there. Have I said that before? Is it clear that there isn't much else on our mind?

We changed time zones again yesterday, the third time so far this passage. This last one was interesting as we are now on Marquesas time, GMT -9.5. Yes, the marquesas is on a half hour, not a full hour. Like Newfoundland, these islanders also need to be a bit different.

By this time tomorrow we will be likely be planning our deceleration so that we arrive at the islands in the morning on the 17th. If we were a bit faster we could arrive just before dark on the 16h. But, that doesn't look quite possible and I don't think that I want to go into a crowded, unknown, anchorage at night. Moonshadow is going to forward us an anchorage report on the 16th, so depending on what they say, we may give it a try.

DEANNA: Our offshore passage to Hawaii, ten years ago, was difficult. The experience challenged me to the core, physically, mentally and emotionally. Reflecting back, I see also that I created additional challenges in the ways I chose to react to any given situation onboard. I've often said that I found out what I was made of on that passage. Along with my reactive and emotional nature, I found strength, determination, endurance and trust in myself that I didn't know that I had.

More importantly, on that passage, I started to see a new perspective. I had looked within and beyond myself. Every situation I encountered afterward, especially on land, looked slightly different after spending 19 days in survival mode. For example, what was previously a work crisis was now a minor irritation. I started to see choices in my reactions and in what I brought to every situation. I often reminded myself "this is nothing compared to what we faced at sea."

Although Speakeasy's offshore passage has been much easier, the challenges are surprisingly similar. We're running on empty tanks, and symptoms such as headaches are the body's way of protesting and saying, "Stop this! Enough!" It would be so easy to react and lose it. And yet we go on. What choice to we have, really?

This is where perspective comes in. Right now, I choose my perspective and responses. How do I want to be and act in this challenging situation? I can choose to listen to my ego and react: to be a train wreck and negatively bump up against Mark, Speakeasy and the conditions. Or I can choose to listen to my spirit and accept: to embrace the situation and glide through it with grace and positivity. And of course, there's every response in between.

On this passage, I have chosen to embrace with grace more often than not. That's not to say that I haven't had my negative, stubborn and egotistical moments. However, I proudly recall instances when I consciously chose to give, empathize, appreciate and reach out, when I could have reacted otherwise. And when I haven't found what it takes to be positive in a given situation, I've often chosen to breathe deeply and take the moment as it is, without judgement. And that's enough.

I'm thankful for my second opportunity to wallow in self-reflection for weeks on end, onboard an ocean-going vessel. And I'm even more thankful that it's coming to an end! With newly fortified perspective, I can't wait to see what the future brings, on land!