Waiting for the front...

Lat 17 deg 21' S Long 156 deg 13' W 13.15 local time July 17 2006

Keep on rocking in the free world! And Neil Young isn't the only one rocking. Neptune has been rocking, and rolling, for the last couple of days. This morning a clear sky and the sun is soothing even if we're inside, hatches closed. Hearing other yachts on the same route reporting on the radio in the morning also feels good. We are not the only ones having a less than pleasant voyage. Fredrik and I have agreed on a strategy for the next 48 hours meeting the front. The wind will spin 360 degrees counterclockwise and then gradually decrease in strength. Hopefully we won't have the wind on the nose for long. Beating with this heavy sea won't be pleasant.

19.00 local time
The wind has increased steadily over the last hours. So we decided to take in the third reef, and we make six to seven knots with the mainsail only. Seas building during the afternoon and evening to small mountains. Beautiful but a little scary even if we were prepared. Right after sunset when it looked pretty steady and the wind had showed some tendency to go below 30 knots there came a rainstorm with winds up to 40 knots. Luckily it lasted only for half an hour. So here we are in the night checking the radar now and then for squalls waiting for the front to pass.

Alea jacta est.
H�kan

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com