Bob playing with Bill Marsters' pet Booby

Ann goofing with Bill's kids

Bill built the Palmerston Yacht Club (seen here), but alas, he ran out of beer a little over two years ago!

So, we’re not leaving just yet. We had squalls all last night with rain and wind and decided, “We’re not in a hurry to get anywhere, so why go ‘out there’ and get clobbered?” So, we’ve delayed our departure a day. More if needed, until the wind/waves get a bit tamer. Actually it’s not so much the wind. It’s really not much windier than when we sail in San Francisco Bay. It’s the waves. They have built up over thousands of unobstructed miles and are pretty sizable right now. The GRIBS say three meters, but that’s just an average and it means we can easily see waves in the 12 plus foot range. Again, it would be OK if were headed straight downwind more or less, but the present wind/wave combination is more like 100 degrees to our destination which means we’re cutting across them making for a wet uncomfortable ride. Let’s see- wet and uncomfortable, or stay here and lay in a hammock reading a book. OK, I’m staying. Just one more day though, I think, then the wind is projected to lay down a bit as well as back to a more favorable angle and the waves will follow.

So, today we had our usual morning whale show while sipping coffee. Then we went ashore for a delightful lunch as always. Ann then gave “our family” a “Farkel” game and showed them how to play it. There were howls of laughter-delightful to hear- as they played their first game. Lisa from Orcinius came back to their boat a couple hours after we came back and called us on the radio to tell us that they were still playing into the evening. Yay! (Bob is saying “Yay” because he didn’t have to play with me! I was a generous teacher and took unnecessary risks so that I might lose. I came in second.)

Oh, I almost forgot. I got to play with a pet booby. Yep, Bill Marsters-on the other side of the island from “our family” has a pet booby. It’s a red footed booby and is actually very cute. Ann took a picture of me holding it and then Bill said, “Put it on your head”. OK, so I tried and he (the booby) sat there- so we now have a picture of me with a booby on my head. Can’t wait to post that! Probably in a week or so when we get to Niue.

So, that’s our day.