We did it!

It's beautiful

LAND HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I can't believe it.

A boat! I saw a boat!

Our first VHF radio contact in 23 days!! Funny how such a normally commonplace occurrence carries such outsized excitement today. The boat is Oatao V, which is an Outremer 45. So, as you'd expect. Thousands of miles and weeks into our sail. We're now racing. The prize? More broken boat parts most likely. Is it worth it? Of course. ⛵💨

New destination

Made the tough decision to go to a slightly further island that has the parts we need. I avoided a mutiny, but I could see the disappointment in the eyes of the crew. Only another 50 or so miles. We heard of another Catamaran sinking or rather being abandoned as they almost never sunk. One was an escape hatch (hate those boats with them by the waterline), one was a through hull, and the latest was a top tier quality Outremer 45 that hit something. So sad for the owners and crew. They are safe, but lost everything. Hopefully they can return and save the boat. Onward. We have about 2 days left. Spinnaker is flying. Watching out for unidentified objects more than ever.

Here fishy fishy!

I was taught by the best, Bert and Ernie, so why haven't we caught a fish this week. We need more Mahi, Tuna and Wahoo please. 🐟

3 days left!!

Were ripping along. The Spinnaker has been up a week and we just put it away. Winds are up and we're back to a double reefed main (broken halyard) and our job. Making 9 to 10 knots. Let's go!

Crossing time zones

As we head West we've crossed multiple time zones. The result is that each of us has been able to get sunrise, sunset, midnight etc shifts. Each one is special for a different reason. 4 or 5 days left. 🤞🤙

Less than 1,000 miles to goooooooo!

What a great thing to start watch to see!

Sunrise is the best watch

I love night watches. The intensity of stars is so amazing out here. We spend a lot of time in life trying to get remote, but until we bought a boat we had no idea what remote really was. The sun is up, we've dropped the main and ol Spinny with all his rips and repairs is tugging us along. Looking forward to hitting 3,000 miles sailed later today!

Coffee is life ☕🌞

Good morning, We're making good speed in light winds. 12TWS. 8SOG. On track for another 200+ mile day. We have 1,300 miles left. That's still bigger than any other passage we've done, besides this one. Really puts into perspective how massive this crossing is. Dreaming of diving and lounging on the boat at anchor.

Lumpy, light wind night

Good morning! 🌞 ☕ It was a light wind evening of lumpy seas. This morning we're finding the best angle to keep what's left of our mainsail from flapping. 1,500 miles left to go. 10 days if the light winds hold. Only 6 or 7 if we can find some wind. We'll assume 10 to be safe and not get our hopes up.

The descent into madness 🌀

Groundhog days, the good kind. 200+ mile days, the destination is closer than the beginning. The weather is good and the winds are following. 🎶"Girls just want to have fun" and so do I.

Good morning 🌞

Fishing lines are going back out. Come on Mahi, yellow fin and Wahoo! Don't mind that fiberglass batten on the floor. It punched through the sail bag and was halfway to escaping into the ocean last night. Caught it in time though. A lot of people don't know that the reason Catamarans have nets up front is to scoop as many 🦑 and flying 🐟 out of the ocean as possible... Apparently. There were so many even back at the helm that I stepped on a fresh one and made some squid pulp. Foot smells like it's got gangrene now. 👃🦨 We've got the main (still double reefed since repair), half the jib (to shield the Spinnaker from any gusts) and Asymmetrical Spinnaker out. Making 8 to 10.5 knots. 🤙

A moment of Zen

Between all the repairs, lack of sleep and figuring it all out there are these moments. The moments you step outside yourself and realize, you're doing it. You. Really. Are. Here. 🤯

Get out da WHOMPA!¡

We're finally South enough to catch the current that should take us to Fatu Hiva. Like a people mover at the airport it adds a couple knots to your speed. With that in mind we can do less Southing and being out the big guns. Da Whompa. I don't know why it's now called that, but it is. Ask @bri 🤷🏼‍♂️🪿

Sailing community comes through again. 🙌

As is always the case, and I'm constantly humbled by it, the sailing community is there to help each other. We posted our issues with failing halyards and a boat about 100 miles in front and another 200 miles behind us has spare high quality line they can get us. At the moment we're sailing along at a surprisingly good clip given the double reef, but we may try to catch the boat ahead of us to replace our topping lift line with something more stout to ensure we make the next 1800 miles. Sailors are the best. 👊⛵

WE'RE SAILING!!!!

Just like in What About Bob... We're sailing with engines off for the first time in 36 hours. We're using the topping to get the sail to the double reefed point. It's not a lot of sail, but the engines are off and we're moving. Phew, let's hope she holds for 2,000 miles. 🤞

From Pollywogs to Shellbacks!! 🐢🐢🐢🥂🎉

In more positive news, we cross the equator! We've driven across it and now we've sailed across it. We're waiting for the mutant ninja powers to hit! How long does it take?

Climbing the mast at sea

Both Kelsey and I have been up the mast several times, but this was on a new level. The choppy confused seas meant that most of my effort was spent trying to keep from getting flung off the mast. Each level higher I went the harder it was. By the time I was near the top it took every bit of strength I had to hold onto the mast. I nearly came loose several times and had to call it. It was just too violent to be up there. A bit dejected we got to work doing what we could. We dumped our spare fuel into the tanks, rigged up our topping lift to the sail and now we're waiting for wind. At the moment we've been crossing a -2 knot countercurrent and experiencing a second doldrum. 36 hours of motoring with only 6 knots of wind. Fingers crossed we can try our rigged mainsail soon.

Broken main Halyard

Well, it was all going too smoothly. Our main Halyard looked to be partially ripped. We got the sail down eventually and our spare installed. Within a half hour it was torn in half and the main sail came slamming down. Something is cutting our lines at the top of the mast. Time to go up and figure something out.

We made it through the middle of the fishing fleet. 🤞

Good Morning! The fishing fleet parted like the red sea. A bunch turned on their AIS about 3 miles from us and they scattered. So strange. I guess when you're doing illegal stuft you don't leave AIS on. We're paying our dues now. 2 knot current against us heading South. 😢

Another beautiful day to be alive!

Today we mourn the death of our following current and the free 1.5 knots it gave up and celebrate the flock of Boobies that were living on our bows have moved on. Between the squid, flying fish and booby 💩 our boat smells great! Still, there's no place we'd rather be!

Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink...

Unless you have a water maker. Technology is amazing when it works. Thankfully we're making water at the moment from the suns power!

That's dinner sorted!

We arie through our tuna so with a handline with cedar plug back in the water we got a small Dorado/Mahi/Dolphin. 🤙

The massive Chinese fishing fleet. 😬

Hundreds, if not thousands when you assume many don't have AIS, of fishing boats of the Chinese fishing fleet. Out here scooping up everything they can. The amount of collateral damage has to be immense. Hopefully the ones without AIS at least have lights on tonight. 🤞

1,500 miles away from Panama and a fishing boat cuts us off. 🤣

We're on the cusp of the giant Chinese fishing fleet which consists of hundreds, or maybe thousands, of boats scooping up everything in the sea. Some are on AIS and many aren't. This boat wasn't on AIS. Thankfully he didn't have any lines out!

Pacific Crossing!

After a rough start tacking into it all day, dodging lightning storms and running from squalls we've finally clicked into a nice lazy river in the middle of the Pacific giving us a free knot or two. Logging in some 200+ NM days to make up for the rough start. 😁🤙