© Anne Quemere
The wide open sea...shortly! That's what the weather forecasters had been saying for the past few days and confirmed today by Jean Francois, our router.
Next Tuesday a North by Northwest wind of 20 to 25 knots is forecast for the departure area and should hold steady for the following three days, along 123 W. This is a gift from a high pressure area settling in after a low pressure that is still over San Francisco. It seems as if November 4th 2008 will be a day to remember as much for our American friends who will be heading to the polls as for me who will be casting off to Tahiti.
I'm now settling in the "starting blocks" and going over every last small detail, like buying fresh fruit which will help me get accustomed to the freeze-dried food. Everything else is ready and a few minor last minute checks should be enough. As Jean Luc VDH said in his last e-mail: "Short temper ruins major endeavour". Who better than him can fathom the strength of such a proverb and today, knowing that this wait will finally end, I can better appreciate the full meaning of these words.
For the average person who normally lives on land and whose days are set by the office hours, a week can go by quickly, but when someone is focused on a set goal each minute seems like hours...or even an eternity! Thank you for all your words of encouragement that I receive on a daily basis. They help me cope. I know a lot of you look at the map on a daily basis and hope to find a red dot heading west, away from the coast. It won't be long now! Keep your fingers crossed, launch day is getting closer and the kites are ready to take on the Pacific winds!
