Position: 31 degrees, 24 minutes south; 172 degrees, 57 minutes east 130 mile day

Fortunately Ann sensed that we were about to get slammed by a squall and woke me out of a light sleep. I was off watch, but it was getting bumpier and the wind was starting to shriek, so more like a doze than a sleep.

So, I got up and we agreed we should shorten sail. We already had a double reefed main and were carrying the stays’l and jib, so I decided we would go to the triple reef. But, when I tried to do it, the sail got blown forward into the shrouds and wouldn’t come out. OK, we’ll drop the main-we’d been hitting 10 knots (which territory Charisma’s designers never dreamed Tayanas would go) so probably not a bad idea to slow down. Once down, it still kept getting windier, Wilson was working up a sweat steering and we were still going 7-9 knots. OK, down with the stays’l. Once on deck and tied down, now with just a little Yankee jib I checked course and speed. Still 6-8 knots, but at least Wilson had things under control. About this time the wind really started to shriek and the waves got very steep with some of the tops breaking and the white water being blown off. Mr Beaufort calls this condition a “Near Gale” characterized by 27-33 knot winds. Whatever it’s called, we called it windy. Oh and did I say it rained. Sheets and sheets came down. And the day had started so beautifully.

Here’s what I was planning to write today before getting blown away (it’s still windy, but more tolerable-we have a triple reef and the Yankee jib and are close reaching at around 5 knots in the residual bumpy conditions).

Starry night all around. The most prominent thing is that we’re heading directly toward the Southern Cross as we’re on course to New Zealand. I can imagine ancient civilizations setting forth with nothing but the knowledge to follow the Southern Cross until you get there. I think it would work.

Lots of shooting stars in all directions. Some very large with long, long tails glowing across the sky.

It’s nice to finally be “off” the wind. We have hit the slot that we were looking for and have a nice following breeze moving us through the night at 7 knots. Sweet!

An exuberant sunrise! Funny word to describe it, but that’s what it was. As I was waiting to see the sun, it just literally leapt out over some low clouds on the far horizon reaching up to grasp the day with its warm orange rays, in one brief moment snatching away the cold, gunmetal blue of the early morning dawn. This view in front is quite a contrast to the dark clouds forming behind us to the west. I’m guessing this is the frontal system of the low that’s lurking just to the south of us. (Boy, was I right!)

So there’s our day. At this point we’re about 240 miles from Opua, so are expecting to get in sometime Thursday the 7th-probably early evening.