Pacific Odyssey - Leg 6

It has been a cold and wet day; most people spent the day below unless
they were on watch.  We have not been using the after cabin stove for awhile
but today the thought went through our heads to light it.  Just after the
log was sent yesterday the wind picked up blowing just forward of the port
beam.  We lowered the square sails and raised the jumbo to join the foresail
and trysail which were already up.  Jose was on watch and his watch worked
alongside him handling sail in the rain and the dark.  We turned on the deck
lights so people could see easier.  There is no moon at the moment; it is
very dark on deck.  We turned the engine off and made good speed, moving
along at 8.2 knots.  Jordan and Skipper are keeping close track of how much
fuel is being used.  Skipper likes to leave 4 days of fuel as reserve for
coming into the harbor, and for the stove and the generator.  At 0500 hrs
our speed slowed down to 3 knots and the engine was started.  About 1000 hrs
the wind picked up and we´ve been sailing ever since, though our speed has
slowed down to 4.4 kts.  We are on a port tack, starboard side sleepers are
happy.  Last night Sara R., Kaitlyn, Leanne, and Emma put on harnesses and
went out on the whisker shrouds to lower the jib.  Jacob is reading "One Man´s
Wilderness" by Sam Keith from journals and photos of Richard Proenneke.
Blake came on board with it, read it and passed it on to Jacob who loves it.
Leighsa was playing cards in the foc´sle last night and knitting at the same
time.  After half an hour she counted her stitches as she found her stitches
kept falling off the needle, as if there were too many.  She had 43 stitches
and she had started with 24!  Jose taught splicing to his watch during their
0800-1200 watch. A few days ago Keira was going through her things
when she found some blue cheese she had been saving as stash.  It was soft
and black water was collecting in the bottom of the bag.  She was under the
impression blue cheese would not go bad when un-refrigerated.  Not thinking
things through, she put it in her pocket.  Later the same day she smelled
something offensive and thinking that her feet must be the culprit, bent
over to have a look.  She found blue cheese juice running down her leg.
When she realized what had happened, she clapped her hand on her pocket and
found a huge, stinky wet spot of squished blue cheese.  She ran into the
hold yelling, "My blue cheese just exploded in my trousers!"  Steve
responded with "Get up on deck, quick, quick, and take your pants off and
throw them overboard, with the cheese."  On deck she got rid of the cheese,
threw the pants by the dories and had Elske pass some clean pants up to her.
There was lots of laughing and retelling of the story; I think she´s quite
proud of it.  We have been at sea now for 2 weeks and Skipper says we have
made good progress, he is happy.  We are praying for good winds and some
warmer weather for tomorrow.  Until then, good-night, Bonice.