N 25° 55.062
E 142° 41.089

Shortly after 0400, when I started my 2nd watch duty, the wind went down into the 2 Bft range.

The sails start to just hang down. By 0630 I added an engine.

When Tobi came up at 0800, we set the gennaker. Better then engine. But wind got weaker and weaker.

Short calculation showed we need an averaged SOG of 3.4 KN to make it until noon tomorrow into Chichi-Jima.

No choice but we need an engine and set it at 3.5 KN STW with a current of about
0.3-0.4 we got a good SOG with some safety margine for the arrival.

Thereafter, I sat in cockpit and watched the smooth blue ocean. A gentle swell of about a meter but only around 50 m wavelength. Smooth. Peaceful. Just relaxing. No comparison to the rough sea of 5, sometimes 6 Bftwe had days ago. Then, we had a swell of around 3 m but a longer wavelength. Wind waves were about 2 m. Rough. Bumpy. However we were fast!

Very fast. The top day distance was 201 NM accompanied by a few just below the 200 NM. MaRe flew over the sea and watching her wake was fascinating.

Then we had days with 3 and 4 Bft. Still a good progress. Until this very early morning.

Now we are back sailing. At least we are sailing through a very smooth blue ocean. With the current speed we would make a day distance of around 90 NM. Less than half of what me made before.

But, no rocking, no bumping into the back of a wave, no wave slamming on the hulls, no noise, just the peaceful, smooth blue ocean. Addictive!