June 20, by Bob

6/20/2008 5:34 am central time.

Hawaii is 10 hours behind Oklahoma time, and Midway is 11. I'm not sure what time zone Maro Reef is in. We're between Maro Reef and
Laysan Island, blown at amazing speeds by hurricane force wind of 7 mph. We're doing between 3 and 4 knots. We expect to reach
Midway sometime early in the year 2010. Water temperature is 78F, and air temperature is about the same. There is ocean under the
boat and sky above it, a nice combination and much more desirable than the inverse.

There have been birds flying around the boat, somtimes sleeping on the boat. I can hear them squawking outside now, even though
we're quite a few miles from the nearest land.

Book Reviews:

I read "The Last Cruise of the Saginaw" about a shipwreck on Ocean Island, aka Kure Atoll. Apparently albatross are pretty tough and
stringy, and the Hawaiian monk seals aren't much better. I guess I'll stick to Chips Ahoy. Rating: required reading for this trip.

"A Voyage Round the World, in the Years 1803-1806" is about a sailor who ended up circling the world on various ships. He lost both
his feet to frostbite after a shipwreck in Alaska. He was not even an officer, but he ended up living with the Queen of Hawaii for a
while. It's a good story with historical perspective. Rating: required reading for this trip.

I am now reading "John Cameron's Odyssey," about a sailor of the latter 1800's. It's really interesting. Things were really
different around here then. Rating: recommended reading.

I read Plague Ship, a Clive Cussler book by someone else. Rating: entertaining.

We have a couple of bicycles on the boat now, and a stationary bike trainer. Mike, Josh and I have been using it. Melinda and Cathy
are slackers. We also have a 20-lb dumbbell, but we can't figure out what it's for.

It is sometime after midnight now, and I'm the only one awake on the boat. I think it is time for a baritone serenade.

The last baritone on the boat corroded beyond repair, so I bought a new old one on eBay just before we left. It's a good thing we
saved the mouthpiece from the old baritone, because the new one came without it. I think everybody is always thrilled to hear me
play.

The wind has been pretty weak since we left Oahu. But the ride is smooth and it's really enjoyable. It's nice to walk around outside
without getting blasted by salt spray.

We have not seen another boat since Lehua Crater off Niihau. Are there supposed to be ice bergs and polar bears near Midway?