Ted's Log Stardate June 26th, 2008

MESSAGE 13 25 JUNE LATITUDE: 00 DEGREES O MINUTES, LONGITUDE: 146
DEGREES 04 MINUTES WEST

HI ALL,

AT 1401 HRS. LOCAL TIME, SAILING WITH SPINNAKER ONLY, CAPRICE AND CREW PASSED OVER THE EQUATOR INTO THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE GOING FROM WINTER TO SUMMER!! WE HAD A SPECIAL CEREMONY CHANGING THE STATUS OF DAN AND CAROL FROM TADPOLE TO SHELLBACK. BOTH TOM AND I ARE SHELLBACKS HAVING CROSSED THE EQUATOR IN A SUBMARINE (TOM) AND A SAILBOAT(ME). WE THEN CELEBRATED THE EVENT WITH A FINE FEAST OF FRENCH PATES, AMERICAN HONEY ROASTED CASHEWS, NEW ZEALAND ASPARAGUS, CANADIAN SARDINES, FRENCH BRIE, TAHITIAN BAGGETTS, AND FRENCH WINE. WE MADE SURE NEPTUNE GOT HIS SHARE.

IT TOOK US 7 DAYS AND 4 HOURS TO SAIL THE 900 MILES NORTH AND SLIGHTLY EAST FROM RANGIROA TO THE EQUATOR. WE RAISED THE ANCHOR AT 1000 HOURS ON JUNE 18. THE DAY BEFORE WE LEFT, THE "MALTEASE FALCON" THAT WE SAW IN PAPEETE, DROPPED ANCHOR RIGHT NEXT TO US. AN AMAZING SIGHT.

ON OUR FIRST DAY OUT WE HAD VERY LIGHT WINDS RESULTING IN US MOTOR SAILING SLOWLY ALL DAY AND NIGHT. DAN DID MANAGE TO LAND A 30 INCH MACKEREL WHICH CAROL COOKED FOR DINNER THAT NIGHT. JUST AFTER SUNSET, WE GOT HIT WITH A SQUALL. AFTER THE RAIN STOPPED, WITH A FULL MOON RISING IN THE EAST WE SAW A NIGHTTIME 180 DEGREE RAINBOW IN THE WESTERN SKY. WITH THE NAKED EYE IT DID NOT HAVE THE COLORS OF A DAYTIME BOW. HOWEVER WITH BINOCULARS WE COULD SEE SOME COLORS. NONE OF US HAD EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE.

THE SECOND DAY THE WINDS PICKED UP TO 12 - 15 KNOTS FROM THE EAST AND STAYED THAT WAY FOR THE NEXT FIVE DAYS. DURING THIS TIME WE REMAINED ON THE SAME TACK (STARBOARD) EXCEPT FOR TW0 360 DEGREE MANEUVERS RESULTING IN A TACK AND A JIBE TO GET BACK ON COURSE. THE FIRST WAS CAUSED BY "AUTO" THE AUTOHELM AND THE SECOND OCCURRED WHEN DAN WAS TRYING TO LAND A FISH (HE DIDN'T). OUR POINTS OF SAIL FOR THESE FIVE DAYS RANGED FROM CLOSE REACH (WIND ABOUT 45 DEGREES OFF THE BOW) TO A BEAM REACH (WIND PERPENDICULAR TO THE BOAT). WE MADE EXCELLENT TIME DURING THESE DAYS LOGGING 119, 136, 151, 141 AND 128 MILES FOR EACH 24 HOUR PERIOD.

YESTERDAY THE WIND CLOCKED AROUND TO THE SOUTH AND DROPPED BELOW 7 KNOTS. WE SAILED SLOWLY AND MOTOR SAILED FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS. TODAY THE WINDS PICKED UP TO 10-11 KNOTS AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING 5-6 KNOTS WITH ONLY THE SPINNAKER.

HAVING PASSED OVER THE EQUATOR, WE ARE NOW SAILING IN A NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION, DIRECTLY TOWARD HAWAII. AS OF THIS MORNING WE WERE 1470 MILES FROM HONOLULU. HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE THERE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, PLUS OR MINUS A FEW DAYS.

WILL WRITE MORE WHILE IN ROUTE.

TILL THEN, TAKE CARE

TED