Another day of light winds. Nothing we can do about that – just sail as best we can and enjoy the trip. I had hoped to arrive in Neiafu early afternoon Monday and clear customs. Now it looks like we will arrive late evening. If that is the case I will hang back so we arrive in daylight on the 22nd.
Most of the last twenty-four hours has been spent with the jib poled out to port and the mainsail boomed out to starboard. A very comfortable way of sailing, we managed to make some progress this way overnight. This morning we sailed west to find some more wind as promised by the weather prediction. So far, we have found a couple of small squalls, a refreshing shower, but no wind yet, just slating sails in the sunshine.
At lunch time we passed over an area indicated in the chart as having volcanic activity. We were hoping to see some bubbles, pumice, volcanic stuff, smell rotten eggs – but nothing, just sea like the surrounding area.
Now that Tonga is just a weekend away we really want to get into port. This has been a long trip from Honolulu, made longer I think because we couldn’t get a real break in Christmas Island. We both wanted to get off the boat there and explore ashore, the strong trade winds and exposed anchorage prevented us from getting that break. So, it almost feels like we have been sailing nonstop since Honolulu.
Last nights movie was ‘Once were Warriors’. An iconic New Zealand movie. I only saw it myself last year and it was Jessica’s first time. Well worth watching once – even if its to see what the Auckland southern motorway looks like with light traffic. Total Voyage distance 1,241 miles.
The Adventures of Captain Ray Penson 
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