Position: 10. 12 N, 149. 38 W @ 16:30 UTC

I awoke this morning to find us sailing in the ‘Valley of the Squalls’. I counted seven grey hay stack clouds with their bottoms dragging across the horizon and the rain falling in sheets. We’ve been washed clean several times during the night which is welcome as our sodium levels are at artery-blocking levels!

The sea is still running high and West Wind has turned the wind into a respectable 4.5 knots which allows us to avoid the bad slatting that shakes the rigging so badly. I’ll catch one of those squalls later this morning as it passes by and get out the shampoo and soap.  The tea is made and so is the porridge.

Some follow-up questions from the kids..

Do you hear whales at night?

I sure do and during the day as well. Not very often but when it happens it’s very special and makes me feel like I’m not alone.

What about sharks? 
I’ve seen more sharks than whales – mostly in the Southern Ocean but at the equator as well. They seem to show up when I’m becalmed and the boat is not moving. They can be very large and aggressive. When we were sailing our Haida 26′ from Bora Bora to Aitutaki in the Cook Islands one came up behind the boat and smashed into the rudder because he could smell and taste the blood that was draining out of the cockpit from our recently caught tuna. I immediately threw the tuna over the side and he left after taking it with one bite.

Have you seen any dolfin?
Yes! I’ve seen many dolfin which love to swim in the wake of the boat. Often at night when they’re near, I can hear them breathing on the surface. I’ve also heard them singing at night while I lay in my bunk reading.

What do you do with your garbage?
Good question. Well it just so happens that today is garbage day and I did my recycling. I have three different bags – one for plastic, one for metal and glass, and one for paper.  I stow these bags in a locker (called the lazerette) at the stern, or back of the boat. When I get back to Victoria it will all go into the bins at my house.   

A shout out to Angela Hemming for her fantastic blog post about Glenn’s journey. Read it here on Flotsam and Jetsam. Thanks Angela! 

Heading: 215 true Boat Speed: 3.6 knots Wind Speed: E 5 – 10 knots Swell: NE 1 .0 m Temp: 27 C Bar: 1010 Cloud: 95 % Miles in last 24 hrs 165.

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