21 August - Working to get South

0600 position 22-05S 170-30W. Day's run 132 miles.

By 6AM we had been lifted up to a heading of south east, and that was high
enough to both continue to get south and make some actual progress toward
Raivavae. The wind continued to lift and lighten all day. The reefs came
out and the sheets were eased and by late afternoon we were fighting to
keep our heading south of east broad reaching in the light airs. It was
beautiful sailing in fairly flat water and sunny skies.

At 115PM we passed through a distinctive current line running south west
to north east. On the north west side of the line the seas were rough,
apparently moving along the line to windward, and on the south east side
of the line the water was calm indicating current moving with the wind.
There was even rubbish swirling along the line. Strange to see something
like that with the nearest land over 140 miles away. The chart showed
that we were on the eastern edge of the Tonga Trench. Perhaps it was some
kind of upwelling from there.

Matt did a fabulous job of sautéing the awa for dinner. He and Lori both
have a talent for using whatever they find in the larder to make great
meals. They should compete on those TV cooking contests.

At 840PM the wind finally died completely, and we turned the engine on.
The seas and clouds disappeared along with the wind, and we powered on a
glass smooth ocean with nothing but stars overhead. Our grib files
provide a daily wind forecast. Today's was for light air from the north,
which we had most of the day. Tomorrow's forecast is for light airs from
the west. What the gribs don't show is how the wind transitions between
the two. I had hoped for a gradual backing of the wind around to the west
that would have allowed us to continue sailing. Instead the wind died.
However, after six hours of calm the wind slowly filled in and at 430AM
we were able to shut the engine off and sail again. The new wind had
filled in from the north west so as soon as it stabilized we put the jib
on the pole and ran off before it wing and wing.