May 27, 2024 – 8:30pm HST

Wind is pretty much east. Lighter tonight. So we saw the fish hit the lure, then follow it. I know billfish hit once then come back and eat so I -let out a bunch of slack, and he took it while I was holding it. You won’t believe the photos. Made the best poke ever for dinner. Finally!!

KYOKO: Interesting about the fish hunting behavior. I’m sure you have to be careful not to get stabbed as you’re pulling it in. Or maybe you let it tire itself out before you pull it in?

Oh shit yeah it was slashing with its bill on deck with the hook right there when we gaffed him even after I let him tire out. mellow rich meat. I bring u some.

KYOKO NOTE: Craig, our friend who’s been giving us weather updates for Kaimana’s crossing, will be crossing the Pacific with his own sailboat in July. He’s looking for crew and asked about Tor’s nephews.

I asked Rowan re crewing [for Craig]. Sounds interested but needs to get off this boat first, which I totally get. [He has] no job yet so offer is tempting. A+ crew. I can sleep!

KYOKO: Not sure if this was the UAP you saw but the news said that North Korea launched spy satellites this past weekend and they exploded in flight. According to the news “An initial analysis suggested that the cause was a newly developed liquid fuel rocket motor, but other possible causes were being investigated, the report said.”

May 28, 2024 – 2:19am HST

We’re seeing series of satellites every night! Saw two at 8 pm last night. Perfectly spaced up to 20 or 30 satellites. They disappear just past vertical. Weird.

KYOKO: That’s very cool. I guess they’re not North Korean missiles exploding then.

Haha no I think it’s Elon [Musk]!

6:38am HST

Only 120 miles off Hilo! Light winds last night, then suddenly squalls and 30 knots! Needless to say didn’t get a lot of sleep.

I noticed the wind increasing from my bunk and asked Rowan if he wanted to reef down. He said why, [the wind] comes and goes. I went with that. Next thing I was up in a squall in 30 knots. Haha 🤣

KYOKO: It’ll be nice to get a full night sleep at Kalaupapa.

Yes that sounds divine. We just gybed over onto starboard tack, sailing out of a squall, and are paralleling the Hawaiian chain. Winds are in 25 knot range.

KYOKO: Rowan’s response to reefing or not sounds a bit like “should work” 😆

(KYOKO NOTE: This is a reference to one of the first times that Rowan crewed for Tor, and when Tor asked Rowan if he researched the boat part he was tasked with and made sure it works properly, Rowan’s response was, “Should work.”)

CRAIG WEATHER REPORT: I thought they were going to gybe last night but they probably waited until today for better ride/sleep. Winds will continue to increase to the 25kt range (sustained) tomorrow. Increased chances of squall tomorrow.

Oh wow yeah gonna be wild (as they say) then with acceleration around Maui.

“WHY??” -Lydia

(KYOKO NOTE: This is a reference to one of the crew during Yo-Lyla’s Pacific crossing back in 2021, who regularly questioned Tor’s sail trimming and safety decisions. It bugs Tor to this day LOL.)

Kyoko: 😆

Rowan told Quinn how he convinced me not to reef when Quinn came on watch. Within 10 minutes Quinn and I were reefing in a driving squall. Rowan was asleep 😴. 🤣🤣

KYOKO: LOL 😝 good story for the blog

May 28, 2024 – 10:45am HST

Oh yes I think so! Quinn thought it funny how pleased Rowan was about managing to convince me. More than keeping the sails up, he was happy about that.

KYOKO: Haha too funny. I can understand why Rowan was so pleased because it’s not easy convincing Tor-y Contrary to do anything! What did Rowan think this morning after you told him you and Quinn had to reef the sails after all?

I felt the boat loading up from my bunk and just sensed the need to reduce sail.

KYOKO: It’s like when you hear a dog barfing in the middle of the night. You have to get up and investigate.

Haha yeah well wake me up at 3 am and see how hard it is to get me to go back to bed!

So when Rowan went down he told Quinn guess what, I told Tor to “f**k off when he wanted to reef! Oh there’s a squall over there in fact we’re kinda surrounded.” Anyway we made 181 miles yesterday

KYOKO: LOL are you serious about what Rowan said? Too funny. I’m wondering if it’s okay to put this in the blog. Might hurt Rowan’s chances of getting hired to crew for Craig. 🤣

Haha no absolutely it’s fine. He just admitted to telling Quinn about all the squalls. Before getting in his bunk 🤣🤣 Quinn says I’m losing authority. I just asked Tracy to come up a bit and he said no not possible. Tracy, the loyal crewmember that is.

7:08pm HST

Wind moderated. Cruising along North Maui now. We have a long way to get to Kalaupapa. Hoping to make it by tomorrow sunset.

KYOKO: Will you stay at Kalaupapa a couple of nights and come into Waikiki on the 31st?

Yeah we can use the break. And I want to clean the boat and check the generator without a big sea. Still gotta get there tho.

CRAIG WEATHER REPORT FROM PREVIOUS DAY: Winds in mid-twenties tomorrow. 7 foot waves tonight increasing to 7.4 tomorrow. They’ll finish on a high note! 🎵