On Tuesday morning, the 23rd, we finally pointed Akuna toward Tonga.

The weather forecast promised almost no wind whatsoever, so we spent the morning doing what sailors do best: changing our minds. Should we leave now? Should we wait a day? Should we stare at the forecast another 47 times? Eventually we decided that a bird in the hand was worth more than whatever weather wizardry might appear tomorrow, so we slipped the lines, headed out through the pass, and said goodbye to a place that had begun to feel quietly like home.

Then, in the wee hours of the morning, a breeze finally arrived. Excitement levels rose immediately. Out came the freshly repaired Code 0! Unfortunately, its triumphant return lasted roughly the amount of time it takes to say „hurray, we are sailing!“. As soon as it was unfurled, the carefully applied patches started peeling off. After all our hard work, the sail essentially informed us that our repair job had been “a nice try.” We suspect the repair material Mark bought in Tahiti was simply too old. So the Code 0 has returned to the repair department for yet another round. Oh well… no drama but a tiny bit annoying nevertheless!

Back to the Genoa and mainsail we went, and they carried us along happily until conditions became suitable for the spinnaker. As I write this at 3:00 a.m., that giant colourful beast is floating ahead of us. With the wind still extremely light, it feels less like sailing and more like trying to escort an enormous soap bubble across the Pacific without letting it touch anything. One brush with the rigging and… pffff… instant disappointment.

Progress has been slow, but comfortable. And let’s be honest: 120 nautical miles is still 120 nautical miles, even if it sometimes feels like we’ve covered them one molecule of wind at a time.

One thing that has caught our attention is the lack of proper trade winds. With the season well underway, we’d normally expect them to be firmly established by now. If the forecasts about a super El Niño turn out to be correct, some sailors may even find the trades reversing direction later this year. That would make our planned route considerably more “interesting” than we’d like. So we’ll happily accept a slow and pleasant ride to Tonga we currently get!

Meanwhile, our crew remains blissfully unconcerned by wind forecasts, sail repairs, or climate patterns.

Today’s adventure saw them heading deep into unexplored wilderness armed with backpacks, ropes, and enough imagination to fuel a Hollywood blockbuster. Reports indicate they climbed mountains, crossed dangerous terrain, and ventured into lands inhabited by pumas and later jaguars… so quite a distance. We briefly visited their remote base camp to deliver supplies before returning to the boat. Remarkably, despite their epic expeditions into the unknown, they still manage to return in time for dinner every single evening.

The logistics of childhood remain one of the world’s great mysteries.

Fantasy can take you places!