Good morning – Below are the text exchanges between me and Tor, plus some wind updates from Craig. Enjoy! – Kyoko

May 17, 2024 – 12:27pm HST / 3:27 PDT

Weather finally cleared and we can see the sun! Warmer by far. Everyone took bucket baths. Quinn and I towed behind the boat.

Found water under the floors which was freaky. Turned out to be fresh [water] so it could be [from] water jugs or even a water hose. Always something.

KYOKO: Oh nice. Does that mean you licked the water under the floors [to taste it]?!? 🤢

Yeah drinking a little bilge water is the price you pay to know you’re not sinking! Good value I say.

KYOKO: Too funny about bilge water but yes it’s true that it’s well worth it. Who had the honor of taste testing it??? The youngest guy??? 😆

I had the honor as captain.

Also had another ship doing a “Crazy Ivan” right past us. Huge container ship.

KYOKO’S NOTE: Crazy Ivan is a Russian submarine maneuver from the Cold War that involves a sudden and sharp turn to “clear baffles” and see if one is being followed. The maneuver is practiced by Soviet commanders, who will make a 180° turn, then turn on their sonar to detect their pursuer.

I took a photo of Quinn on the transom after he was dragging in the water. Spitting image of [his dad] Alex at his age.

May 17, 2024 – 6:16pm HST / 9:16pm PDT

Wind is still a close reach. Nice calm sailing now. Thought it was dropping so I pulled out whole main but it might still be a bit much for the full main.

KYOKO: How’s Tracy’s cough? And the nephews’ seasickness? All better I hope.

May 18, 2024 – 4:37am HST / 7:37am PDT

So Tracy has “the worst sore throat he’s ever had” and a deep cough that sounds wet. I have antibiotics. Might get a doctors opinion to take them. Said there was a guy coughing on the airplane near him. That was 5/10. He mentioned not feeling great about the 16th.

KYOKO’S NOTE: I’ve contacted Tracy’s good friend Dinora, who is a doctor, to get her advice. Meanwhile Tracy is resting and drinking lots of fluid. So please don’t worry too much!

CRAIG GIFFORD’S WIND UPDATE:

They should be on a beam reach by 15:30 this afternoon. They should be getting a good night sleep tonight as winds will be light from abeam. Winds intensifying a bit tomorrow with a solid broad reach by late on the 19th. It is important they take advantage of the light winds tonight and get good rest. They will have a solid run until the 23rd when they’ll see a light break in the action.

Recommend a COG of 260 degrees today and 262 degrees tomorrow. The big push will begin on the 20th.

The high [pressure] is deeply settled for the remainder of their trip. The low pressure system NW of the Hawaiian Islands will not be a factor as of May 20.