South to New Zealand

We are finally underway to the land of the Kiwi bird. Or, as Leah and Holly point out movie theaters, ice-cream cones and socks. I am excited for — yes I am going to admit it — a Starbucks latte. Also cheese, a real grocery store and libraries. Michael is excited for internet that works and a big fat steak.

These things we keep in mind as we point our bow into the southern ocean. I have to think of something else, can’t let the terror fill up every part of my brain as it wants to. I do not like this trip, have been dreading it for weeks. There’s so many factors that weather prediction is practically an art form down here and I just need to trust those experts that say the path is clear and trust that we’ll be ok. Miserable perhaps, but ok. Some people say you have to take an ass-kicking on this trip, that’s just the way it is. Hopefully we can bypass that rite of passage.

We’re certainly not miserable now; 175 miles north of Minerva Reef we’re motoring in about 2 knots of wind. The weather is dictating that we go right pass this potential resting point and continue on to Opua. There is a low forming over Fiji heading towards Tonga so we want to be well south of it’s influence. The good news is that the low will create nice SE winds for us — which is on the beam — in a few days and we should have a rip roaring sail right into Opua, hopefully a week from today.

It will be fine, I know it will. But still I alternate between being terrified of running out of diesel and terrified of 40 knot winds on the beam. 950 miles to go. Must think of lattes and socks, instead.