Today was a rolly polly day at sea. Next to the storm at sea, it was probably the least favorite day on the water for everyone. We left at midnight this morning from Apia, Samoa for our next port in Fiji after saying goodbye to many new friends. We had about 20 miles of coastline to sail along before motoring (due to no wind) through the pass between Savaii and Upolu islands. After a full night at sea looking at the lights on shore, we all woke up in the morning and were still able to say our last goodbyes to Samoa to the port and starboard sides of us.

As we cleared through the pass we were able to cut our engines with some strong 16 knot winds. The winds and waves however only got stronger throughout the day. We were all sick. Jaeden threw up overboard three times. I guess he does not have an iron stomach after all.

What made the day rather difficult was the rain storms that continued throughout the day. It was not like the typical squall that comes and goes, but rather a constant rain shower for hours that fluctuated in intensity from a drizzle to a torrential downpour. With the winds that picked up to gusts of 35 knots, the rain was a bit cold. For over 4 hours the winds were fluctuating between 25 and 35 knots causing us to pull down our mainsail and skimming along at 7 knots with only a handkerchief of a jib hanging out. Nobody wanted to sit outside at the helm and get hammered by the rain. We couldn’t really put up the sides of the bimini to shelter us from the rain that was blowing in broadside to us with such strong winds. It would probably just have pulled the bimini off.

During the most intense part of the storm, I could see whitecaps on the crest of the 7 to 10 foot tall waves. The wind gusts blew the tops of the waves into a solid foggy mist that hung over the surface of the water. It was incredible to see the mini ripples on the tops of the large swells of the sea. For the moments I did brave the elements at the helm, I couldn’t take my eyes off of the powerful weather in front of me.

As we said our family prayer in the afternoon I couldn’t help but recognize once again, the mighty power of this beautiful and frightening ocean we have been sailing on for the past nine months. Its force and energy is awe inspiring and nothing in comparison to the energy we create burning fossil fuels. Every square foot of this ocean has an energy that humbles us all as we glide across its surface continually praying for a safe passage. We are enjoying this incredible journey but mindful of the care and attention we need to give to ensure the trip is as safe as possible.