Tahiti of Bust!

Kellie and the kids had made a sign saying "Tahiti or Bust" to put on the stern when we left Mexico. The sign is gone, but we're on our way. We sailed back over to the village to buy some more pearls for a friend of Kellie's, then had a rolicking reach (sail) back across the lagoon under mainsail and staysail in about 22kn of wind, blasted thru the pass and were able to bear off the wind and put up the genoa, currently making about 7kn with the wind on the stern quarter. We're heading around the north side of Fakarava. Once clear of it we'll have to head up into the wind a bit, putting us on a beam reach, so it should be a fast passage. If we can maintain our speed, it should be about 36 hours (275 miles). We left a bit sooner than our latest planned departure (which we've delayed many times) because there is a low pressure disturbance forecast to pass S of Tahiti in about 48 hours that'll goober up the tradewinds between here and there for a few days. We either had to leave today or wait probably a week, which wouldn't work since Kellie's friend, Carrie is coming to visit us in 10 days and we sure wouldn't want to miss her!

'Twas sad leaving all the kid boats, but time to move on. We've only got until July 26th before our French VISAs run out, and so much to still see in the Societies.

-Pete