Greetings from... somewhere between the middle of nowhere and Auckland! As you may have deduced, I am still alive. I have not fallen overboard or been maimed in some way, and we are still pirate-free. Parents, this is your cue to take a deep breath.

It has been a marvelous trip so far and I have gotten to spend a lot of time reading and relaxing – when I am not on watch, of course! As for my animal friends, we have seen porpoises, seabirds, flying fish, a mysterious shark-looking fin, and even had a very friendly sparrow join us on board for a while to catch some rest. The crew is totally motivated to catch a fish. We have caught one so far, and had incidents where we lost three – I won't say how, it’s a sore subject. As someone who does not care for fish, I find myself rooting for the tuna (but I'm not about to say that out loud on this boat).

I keep thinking how incredibly fortunate I am to take part in this journey, and can't wait to see what adventures lie waiting in Auckland. Thank you to everyone who has supported Sailing Sclerosis in one way or another and making this all possible.

Much love to everyone back home!