Day 280, Year 1: Headed to Aitutaki Through a Wall of Black Clouds
Date: Monday, July 24, 2006
Weather: Sunny, North Winds 2-6 Knots
Location: Overnight Transit from Rarotonga to Aitutaki

If you have read the title of this log, you know that we did make the decision to go to Aitutaki today. Everything indicated that the trough should pass and switch the winds from north to east. Well, I think the trough has passed, but basically we have no wind. And the wind we do have is still right on the nose from the north, so we are motoring along to Aitutaki. Probably about the time we head back to Rarotonga the winds will switch and come from the south. We sure hope not as we do want the Stuarts to have some sailing experience. Since the wind that we do have is coming right at us, it is slowing us down a bit. Right now it looks like we will arrive at the pass heading into Aitutaki about 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Hopefully, we will get there in time for Mark, Linda, and Garrett to take the dinghy in through the pass and do some afternoon snorkeling. I will stay on the boat on watch since we will be anchored in the ocean next to the reef. If the winds do switch to the east, that should be fine. Or if they stay the way they are now, which is almost no wind, we should be fine no matter what direction the winds are coming from. But still, someone will need to be on the boat all the time. I think I have mentioned that we cannot go into the lagoon as we are just a few inches too deep, so anchoring outside will just have to do.

Just now we watched the sun go down in the west and we are headed toward a black wall of low clouds. This looks like a front, but since there is almost no wind, we should be fine. (Note to Uncle Red-No worries. This terrible wall of black clouds that we are about to enter should be no problem.)

We are getting ready to have dinner in the cockpit. At 1900, Mark, Garrett, and Michael go on watch and Linda and I sleep. We come on at 2200 and then switch off every three hours. We decided to do boy-girl watches tonight. We’ll hope for a quiet night and an early arrival in Aitutaki.

060724 Day 280 Cook Islands, Rarotonga–Headed to Aitutaki