Daily Update 30 May 2009 - Squalls and sunshine

Questionable Logic
Ewan Briggs
Sat 30 May 2009 19:37
Position at 1430 GMT-6: 8 47S 137 07W.
 
Covered 165nm through the water and 178 overland in the last 24 hours. We're on starboard tack/gybe so have been making our way north in preparation for one final gybe (hopefully) which will take us into Tahiohae Bay on Nuku Hiva sometime during the day tomorrow.
 
We've had quite a bit of wind the last few days, pretty steady 20kts during the day with clear skies mostly, then the dark menacing clouds come out at night and give us some pretty squally conditions. We got up to 11.4kts last night in one squall around 2am. We're back in the sunshine now - full main and small spinnaker, usually doing 7-8kts. The seas have calmed down a bit since yesterday but there are still a good few waves rolling us around from time to time, especially if we've slowed down in a lull.
 
The guide books have been fished out with purpose, and we're planning our stay (about a week) in the marquesas. Current plan is to spend most of it on Nuku Hiva and then spend a couple of nights on Ua Po before heading on towards the Tuamotos.
 
Ewan