Now too much wind in the Molucca Sea

As we passed the Sanghie Islands yesterday morning, we continued on the same course towards Halmahera and Morotai Islands. Steadily the wind picked up from the SSE, and we started to rocket along at 7+ knots, but diving into waves with lots of water on the deck. We reefed down and rolled up the headsail in favour of the cutter (smaller inner headsail) and conditions aboard were still lousy but the best conditions were going to allow.

So along we went with everyone feeling a bit under the weather. We hove-to for an hour before dark to have dinner and then batted on during night. While Liz was on watch I felt the hard bang of a solid wave hitting us then the rushing sound of water and then a "oh-no, you rotten...." the wave had kicked up a few buckets over the cockpit covers and poured in on the downwind side of the cockpit where she was sitting. It's a really horrible sensation to be brought out of the night watch daze with a
bucket of sea-water over your head.

This morning it's a little lighter at 15-17 knots and we are 50 miles from Morotai where we may stop and try to top up our fuel.