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Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is vast, the world’s largest ocean by a huge margin.  To say that we’ve crossed it is overstating the case, but we’ve completed the longest leg across this ocean, from the Galapagos Islands to the Isles Marquises (the Marquesas) in French Polynesia.

We sailed just over 3000 nautical miles in 23 days and experienced a variety of conditions at sea, from flat calms to winds requiring a couple of reefs.  On the whole the winds were light and the seas lumpy, which left us often with sails that filled first from one side and then the other with a bang; this is damaging to sails, rig and nerves!

The pictures here are snapshots from our life at sea, which on a 35 foot boat is not always thrilling but these pictures reflect the timeless life that is passage-making.
May and June 200764 Images44981 visitsAlbum by Gerard CoulsonPhotos by Gerard Coulson
Enlarge photo 1 Tom as net controller on the daily Kids' net on the SSB radio
Enlarge photo 2 Monica shares a recipe on the radio
Enlarge photo 3 I liked this longitude!
Enlarge photo 4 The boys have a limited amount of time each day on the computer, they play Legoland!
Enlarge photo 5 Meanwhile Monica and Rebecca take an afternoon nap
Enlarge photo 6 Jonty's turn for the drying up
Enlarge photo 7 Our instruments show a good turn of speed; it did not last!
Enlarge photo 8 The cockpit in sea-going mode
Enlarge photo 9 Using the chute on a light winds day
Enlarge photo 10 with wind we can get good speed from this sail
Enlarge photo 11 Looking aloft
Enlarge photo 12 7 knots, rare for us!
Enlarge photo 13 Looking over the stern at the windvane and the towed generator
Enlarge photo 14 I love this view
Enlarge photo 15 rigged for ownwind sailing
Enlarge photo 16 Another light day
Enlarge photo 17 School!
Enlarge photo 18 Rebecca reads about the seaside
Enlarge photo 19 Jonty and Tom are doing Maths
Enlarge photo 20 Our countdown calendar, showing a mere 750 miles to go!
Enlarge photo 21 Good sailing but are in over a knot of counter current (boat speed on left, ground speed on right)
Enlarge photo 22 School also happens in the cockpit under the sunshade
Enlarge photo 23 Mid-Pacific lessons
Enlarge photo 24 1 reef in the main to try and stop the main slamming
Enlarge photo 25 Homemade bread is necessary after about a week at sea
Enlarge photo 26 Enjoying the iPod!
Enlarge photo 27 Listening intently
Enlarge photo 28 I show a flying fish to the kids
Enlarge photo 29 Stern views 1
Enlarge photo 30 Stern views 2
Enlarge photo 31 Stern views 3
Enlarge photo 32 Stern views 4
Enlarge photo 33 A lovely day draws to a close
Enlarge photo 34 and for once we leave the chute up over night
Enlarge photo 35 The chute
Enlarge photo 36 The chute 1
Enlarge photo 37 Tongiht I'm net controller for a fleet of about 20 boats. I take and rebroadcast names, positions and weather
Enlarge photo 38 Bed time for Rebecca
Enlarge photo 39 Sunsets 1
Enlarge photo 40 Sunsets 2