We have all been enjoying the watches on this leg, the dawns have been very beautiful. Its been a while and this morning's dawn lasted an hour. Its nearing the winter solstice down here and we are farther south from the equator now.  

Much as we tried the camera wouldn't do it justice the colours kept changing and coming, So many shades of peach and pink.  Alice needs to get painting. 

During the night on our watch we had to pass through the entrance to the Fiji islands called the Onedin Passage. Lots of shallows and little islands moon lit in the gloom. We very much hoped that our GPS was correct and again thought about Captain Bligh and Cook and their incredible skills as they navigated the same waters.  Back then there were angry man eating  tribesmen ashore.  Certainly a lot more exciting anyway. 

Harry spends much of his day dressing his various wounds which he gets whilst kite surfing over coral reefs.  Its a bit like painting the Forth Bridge as one heals another appears. Both Harry and Imo are really good at kiting now though its a massive faff getting the kite launched from the back of the boat. At least he hasn't been stranded up any palm trees recently. 

Hebe stopped corkscrewing this morning and we had a terrific day with wind on the beam whizzing along.  Now its all died down and we're chugging away into the night in flat calm. 

Our eyes are peeled constantly for humpback whales which arrive now from the Antarctic to breed. It would be so fantastic to see one breach, maybe tomorrow.