Food Fight

0700 position 31-17S 160-27E. 67 nautical miles to Lord Howe Island. Day's run 223 nautical miles

Van Diemen motor sailed all day in light airs and flat seas as the wind slowly backed from the east to the north. At 5PM we shut the engine down so Rob could change a worn and squeaky belt on the engine. By the time he finished the job the wind had filled in and we were averaging over eight knots of speed under sail so we left the engine off. The wind continued to fill in as the evening progressed, peaking at close to twenty knots out of the north at midnight. At 7AM this morning the northern tip of the front slapped us, it started pouring rain, and the wind died. As I write this we are bouncing around under power in confused seas and drizzle. This should clear shortly as the front moves away to the west. In a couple of hours we should be able to see Lord Howe Island on the horizon ahead of us. We should arrive there mid-afternoon.

The gribs showed the front approaching from the west, and it looked like we were just going to kiss the north end of it this morning. Predicted wind strength, direction, and the timing of the frontal passage was remarkably accurate to within minutes. How do they do that out here in the middle of nowhere?

It has been quite cold out here. During the night watches you'll find the Van Diemen crew dressed in their long underwear, fleece, socks, hats, and gloves for the Hawaiian. Add foul weather gear when it is raining. Water temperature is hovering around seventy degrees F.

Michael went wild in the galley again yesterday. I woke up from my afternoon off-watch nap to find that high tea was being served in the saloon. He had taken his freshly baked scones out of the oven just minutes earlier and they were being served with clotted cream and raspberry and pomegranate preserves. Fortunately, I had been trained in England by a certified professional in the proper handling of the scone during a high tea ceremony, and did not disgrace myself or the American people.

I was supposed to make dinner last night, but the pressure of having to follow Michael's meringue, orange chicken, and scones was bearing heavily on me. Marie, who was looking for something to do, came to the rescue and volunteered to cook. She made a grilled sausage and vegetable medley that stood up well against our previous meals. I have recommitted to cooking today, and am hoping for some fresh fish for dinner. We hooked but lost a couple of tuna yesterday. I have a feeling that today is the day. We are starting the day off with some Hawaiian style fried rice, and I need to get on it.

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