Captains Blog Sea Date July 11, 2009

Captains Blog Sea Date July 11, 2009
Days at sea: 12
Distance to go: 719NM
Distance traveled in 24 hours: 180NM
Current Position: Lat. 22'05 Long. 145'0
Average speed: 7.2k
Wind North East at 15+K
Sea temp: 83.7F

Alright, well it was another busy night aboard. we sailed through the day with our black, red and white kite, (we have a name for it onboard, but it might offend some blog readers). everything was going well, Mike and mom were on watch, i came up to revile my mother at 2200. she is giving me the run down on how the boat is handling and what not, she tells me they have been watching a squall behind them, to keep an eye on it. as she finishes that sentence it starts to poor rain. Mike was on the helm, and this squall frikin came on us super fast. i looked at Mike, the squall behind him and it just looked like a scene from a very bad movie. he was driving really good. we took one bad round up, quickly followed by a round down, then back on course. At some point Mike yells at me, " why am i steering?" i told him it would be a death mission if we tried to change out, but that he was doing a really good job. so we kept sailing on the edge of disaster, we were holding a steady speed of 11.6k up to 12.8k. with a big following sea, that you could not see. Im working the sheet, while Mike is death grip, white knuckles the tiller, this went on for about 20 minutes when Mike pipes up again, " Lindsey!! We're not surfing!!!!!" But the way he said it was classic, i could not stop laughing. i told him, i know Mike we are sailing this fast. It was such a trip. all and all it lasted for 45 minutes. Mike was spent after that.
Chase came up to relive him of watch, Chase took the helm for a bit while i looked around the deck for anything we may have broke. we were moving along alright, so i sat down looked up at Chase and it was like dejavue, death squall all over again. i got up and asked Chase for the helm, he was telling that he could handle it no problem, i told him to take a look at the storm coming up behind him, he moved quickly to the sheet, while i drove. we were in a good position in that squall, high and i front of it. we got plenty of good wind, we got the boat up to 12.8 to 14.6k. but we were on edge the whole time. I steered the rest of my watch like that. By the time Richard came up to relive me the wind had died down a bit. Mom came up a few hours latter to relive Chase, but by then it was the worst it had been, the wind was gusting up to 30k, the boat was out of control and the crew was beat. a bit before day brake Richard called down to below to take the shoot down. Mike was on foredeck, Richard was helm, mom and Chase were on the lines. once the kite and the fence came down we put up the number 3 head sail. to tell you the truth it did not impact our speed that badly.
0800 i do the radio check in, then i go on watch again. The head sail was flapping around, so we sent it up for some wing on wing action with the reaching strut. that was ok for awhile, but we really just needed to get a kite back up. and that is just what we did, the guys and i worked to put the black, white and red up, it seems to be going well, but i tell you for all the work we are putting in to this it seems like we should be going a whole hell of a lot faster.
Other then that, I don't know if everyone is reading the blog comments but i have to make a retraction regarding the Addiction finish party, Julie has given me a heads up that any food is welcome. so it would be great if you could bring A) a bottle of booze to shoot down the luge, B) Leis, C) your favorite pupu dish, D) or just bring yourself as we will be happy to see you. thank you all.
Mike you like to let everyone no that he needs a new ass, the one he is sitting on now is raw, wet, monkey butt and has become so flat that it no longer serves the purpose of holding up his knife belt. if any one could help him out with that, he would appreciate it. As for his views towards Jerome, Mike has been thinking of French retorts, the first being unsuitable for the blog, the other is douche.
Hi Nate dog welcome home to Hawaii, we are trying to get home soon, but take some advise from your big sister, don't do anything stupid while your dad and Donna are gone. you don't want to piss Donna off right now, trust me im on her shit list right now, you don't want to be on it too. Have fun be safe, see you in a few, call D if you want to go for a skate, Kristin or Julie will have his number. Your dad sends his love. Hi to Arron.
Mom would like to say hi to MP and Tutu Nancy, she misses you guys tons.
That should do it. LA out.

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