Feb. 20, 2000; 15 days since departure--aita pea pea

Source: Sam Low

At dawn this morning (Feb. 20, Sunday), we caught a large alele (needle nosed sailfish) and yet another aku. Even though we are sharing all our catches with the Kama Hele crew, we now have too much fish so Mike, Tava and Snake begin fashioning a fish drying rack outboard of the port and starboard navigator's platforms.

We continue to sail north at about six knot under clear skies. The winds are ENE at 25 knots, gusting to 30, with lots of white caps and froth on the top of the waves.

Just before sunrise yesterday in a pattern now becoming familiar we caught fish, two fish actually, an aku and an ono, about 20 pounds each.

Bruce slices the ono open cleanly, removing the liver and the heart. Tava cuts up the heart, adds lime juice, and offers it around. Suddenly, I have something to accomplish elsewhere on the canoe, which forces me to miss the opportunity to try this delicacy.

Like clockwork, only a little early yesterday evening, rows of cumulus clouds assemble on the horizon, pink at the tips and dark underneath.

The northeast swell has abated, to be replaced by swells from the east, with gentle faces, widely separated. The canoe's motion is smoother now; she no longer has to push through swells at the bow.

Last night Nainoa saw the North Star ahead of us--a certain sign we have crossed the equator. Most of us cannot see the star through the low scrim of clouds on the horizon.

Last night turned out to be calm, with no bothersome squalls. A highlight yesterday was the crossing-the-line ceremony presented a day late by Ming's halau of newly minted shellbacks--Kahualaulani, Joey, Kona, Kau'i, and Ka'iulani.

During such ceremonies, the novices have to entertain an audience of more experienced sailors. Ming composed two hilarious songs that accomplished that purpose. (Song's will be published later.)

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