RTW Day 210: N. Pacific - Another pleasant day in the S.E. Trade Winds

Another pleasant day of trade winds sailing, ambling along NE in good sunny conditions, in E-SE winds at speeds of 4.5-5.5kt, making good Easting again.

Around midnight, soon after the half moon disappeared in the W, I sensed our changed motion and went on deck to furl in some genoa. A large black cloud was over head, the wind was up and rain was starting. As we heeled in the stronger conditions, with my headlamp out of battery power, I held a torch in my teeth while I winched in the genoa furling line a bit ... and then some more! Rain fell increasingly heavily and I got very wet but our heeling was reduced and boat speed steadied at around 5kt.

By dawn, with boat speed down to 3kt, the genoa was unfurled to full again - that was a solitary rain cloud and no more were seen over the day.

Spent more time looking over Hawaiian Island chain out to beyond Midway Island checking for reefs and seamounts to avoid - shown by skull and cross bones galore on my chart plotter. There are some wine glasses showing the few safe deep passages through.

Afternoon - covered a spare windvane framework, ready to replace present tattered one on Hydrovane.

ITCZ has moved from 4N to 8N - the weather gods are being amazingly kind just now!