We are traveling fast on a great course with reefed main and mizzen and the full working jib.  We are enjoying a relatively gentle ride and steering despite confused seas due to wind shifts. Nautical miles to Tahiti:  587.34

Sail Data

• time:  2012-10-22 04:00 UTC/GMT (18:00 HST Oct 21)
• position: 26 degrees 58.3 minutes S 152 degrees 31.2 minutes W
• course: 025 degrees True
• speed: 10 knots
• weather: clearing skies with low-level cumulus, 75% cloud cover, will have stars to steer by
• wind: SSE 15 to 25 knots
• sea state: SSW swells 10 to 15 feet, SE swells 6 to 8 feet, SW swells 6 to 8 feet (diminishing), wind chop, confused but moderate seas
• vessel and crew condition:  all ok (Faafaite also)

Education Data

• Celestial Observations, Navigation Stars, Planets and Moon Phases:  sun only.  Today, we again steered principally by the wind and swells.
• Animal Life: None observed today.
• Sea Birds and Sea Life: Almost none observed today.
• Marine Debris: None observed today.

Resources

• Tracking Map
• Crew List: Aotearoa to Tahiti

Wayfinding and Astronomy

• On Wayfinding (star compass and traditional navigation without instruments)
• Holding a Course
• Hawaiian Lunar Month (Moon Phases)
• Hawaiian Star Lines (Hawaiian names for stars and constellations)
• Stellarium, a free desktop planetarium at stellarium.org.

Weather

• Predicting Weather: Reading Clouds and Sea States
• Non-Instrument Weather Forecasting

Sea Life/Canoe Life

• Fish, Birds, and Mammals of the Open Ocean
• Voyaging Proverbs from Mary Mary Kawena Pukui’s ‘Ōlelo No‘eau
• Hawaiian Voyaging Traditions (History of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and Hōkūle‘a)