pos 7d 48 S - 118d 58 W Coming up on the next time zone at 120W
9:11 am
wind backed to almost E and is lighter so speed is down: have about 5.2 thru water and current is less to so sog about 6.
Today we'll try to find a sail configuration with a little more power. But since the main should stay with one reef to avoid the chafe on its halyard, it's going to be tricky. We are sailing wing and wing since last night, so the boat is pretty flat but the waves make us shake, rock and roll as they pass under us. With less current and cross swells the motion is improving though.
1:40 pm
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You should look into ferry tickets to the tuamotus as well. Might be nicer and cheaper than planes. The atolls we're planning to go to are Ahe (14d 29 S - 146d 19 W)in the NW and Rangiroa (14d 55 S - 147d 40 W) in the middle. Rangiroa is one of the bigger atolls and probably the most touristy (we could thus meet there easily). The atolls are about 250nm from papeete so it should be a half hour flight or a 15 hr ferry ride. The good thing about flying is that you just transfer without having to get out of the airport. Maybe check the noonsite.com for more info on these atolls (airport etc...)
...
I finished East of Eden: what a treat that was. Nat and I talk about it. Although it has very strong religious underpinning I think it is more about good old evil and good old good, but in a way that was a pleasure to read because at the end of the day Steinbeck is absolutely non-judgemental and non-dogmatic and I truly like that.
Now on for some math!
We found a good sail config: reacher on pole to windward, jib to leeward, and main with one reef. This brought our speed up a knot at least and we have little surfs down the bigger waves.

8:33
POS: 7d46 S - 120D 17 W New time zone 120W to 135W
1100nm to Marquesas (actually 1103nm but what is a little cheating)
Hoping for the big one tomorrow: less than 1000nm to destination (by comparison crisfield - hispanola was 1200nm)

I'm making up a list of things for you to bring: first and foremost 4 sheets, nice sheets,, not polyester not cotton but some miracle material that doesn't feel f*!&*ng damp and hot at night.

9:24 pm
june 16 - june 24 at anchor in rangiroa (maybe in 2 different places)
june 24-25 passage to another closeby atoll like ahe or closer (70nm max)
june 26 - july 1 at anchor in other atoll
july 2 -july 4 passage to moorea
july 5 - 10 explore moorea (30 nw of tahitI)
july 11 passage moorea papeete
july 12-july 15 papeete (ac gets insurance for boat )
july 15 nat and k leave
july 16 - july 17 passage papeete raiatea
july 18 - july 30 decommission boat and repairs