Sunday 1st July 2012 - Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends!!
Brown booby... chased after shoal of flying fish that suddenly took off across the waves while it was circling high above 'Nereida'.
Continued fast sailing under sunny skies, if cloudy at times...... Regularly seeing SOG of 7.5 kt or more - and still rough 3+ m seas!
Occasional sail trimming to keep up speed and try to reduce heeling, as wind varies between NE and ENE 18-21kt over the day.
Without the constant need to download weatherfaxes just now, I had some spare time and actually took to my bunk while being tossed about and started reading a book: "The Rum 'Uns". Quiet amusement reading of Barbara McDougall's humorous episodes in her life in rural - so far - Tasmania (she gets into Dragon racing later, I know - she met up with me in Hobart, took me around and gave me her book!)
DMG today ..... a fabulous 164 n.ml. - making superb progress!! That relates to a sustained speed of 7 knots over the 24 hours... impressive! (And there's NO current help...)
Distance to Honolulu: 860 n.ml. .... although I'm looking into pausing briefly in Kona on the 'Big Island' of Hawaii, simply to Clear Customs etc on arrival in the USA within 'office hours': M-F 0800-1630 LT.
I'm passing close by Kona on my way to Oahu, so it makes sense to do the paperwork there and not incur extra charges or complications by arriving in Honolulu well over a day later - maybe Friday evening/over the weekend.
Moon shining brightly - and waxing for several more days - always nice to be able to trim the sails at night just by moonlight!