G'day all!

The wind gods started to play a game of hide and seek with us yesterday afternoon and then finally went into hiding at 0200 hours this morning. Starting around midday yesterday, the winds would drop to 7 or 8 knots for 15 minutes to a half hour and then roar back in at 20+ knots for an hour or so, then back off again.

We all got a bit of a workout furling headsail and staysail, starting the engine, tidying up sheets and lines, and then reversing the process an hour or so later. Finally, early this morning the wind dropped below 7 knots and has pretty much stayed light and variable since. The barometer is climbing, the seas are flattening to a gentle roll, and we are steaming right into the middle of a BFH (big fat high). Fortunately, we have a good D-sail (engine) and plenty of dinosaur juice to keep us moving along at the rate of 200 miles per day. Other than the noise of the engine, it's flat and calm and very easy going.

Our 24-hour run from yesterday, hampered by the fluky breeze, was 187 miles towards our waypoint off Moreton Island. At the rate we are steaming, we should arrive there late morning Saturday if all goes well.

We crossed the halfway mark right at noon today, and promptly celebrated with a round of nice cold beers.

Other than a few wandering gannets and a mostly overcast sky, there's not much else to report.

Cheers, George, Ellen and Neil