Position at 6:00pm Thurs 27th: Lat 23 00 790N, Lon 141 48 790 W, [mag]. Heading of 265 deg on our rumbline towards Hawaii a degree above our Molokai WP. A further few deg adjustment when we are approx. 200 nm away.
Winds and seas have calmed this afternoon and currently NE Winds of 18-22kts[app] coupled with a NE 2.0 mtr swell at 8 secs. Overnight saw a good number of fast running squalls around on the radar and we were caught by a few. For an 8-10-hour period winds and seas were constant at 26-34kts [app] with seas 2.0 -2.5 mtrs at 8 secs.
During the squalls winds peaked to 38kts [app} It was a hairy ride at times...imagine a 27000lb surfboard!!...pitch black and all you hear is the scream of the wind and the surge of white caps as they lift you up and propel us down its face. Our weather models from yesterday said winds in the 20kts range max...yeah right! Our overnight sail plan was accordingly adjusted with 3/4 more turns in the genoa.
We will see what fun and surprises are in store for us tonight.

SHARON:
We awakened to the 3rd day of stormy grey skies, squall lines surrounding us 360 degrees above the boiling and churning seas, producing 8-10 ft. swells, which mercifully, are coming from behind us. It was a difficult watch overnight for Fernando and Ian, sailing in a pitch black starless and moonless sky, with shifting winds and powerful swells while sailing downwind, leaving the autopilot impotent to correct the course. Winds gusted to 38 -40+ knots intermittently, with a constant background of 26-34 knots. The air was heavy with moisture, with peaks of rain-filled clouds threatening a downpour that never materialized (it would have been nice to at least get a fresh water rinse of the salty boat out of all this weather). Ian finally turned on one engine at low revs to ensure we didn't broach surfing the face of huge waves. This continued on into the mid-morning.
As mid-day approaches, we have started to see a few patches of blue sky directly overhead, though billowing thunderheads still collect all around the horizon. There are few signs of life around us, except for a rare seagull and some flying fish. No further boats have been spotted, and there is no chatter on the VHF radio or SSB that was intelligent. We are alone on this infinite ocean, however our trusty WheyToGo and her kiwi captain have kept us safe and warm. We are now past the half-way mark, with 900 miles still to go to Hawaii. As we swirl around like a centrifugal carnival ride, we are looking forward to warmer, turquoise waters, and a stable floor beneath us.