mean to wind you up. For us the boss always seems to be Scotty Ann and we just do what we are told.

Those Bay winds should prepare you for most anything you are going face unless you miss a window or something. You heading south in the HaHa?

My opinion is to take care with the "local knowlege." Much of the time the person telling you the scoop knows only his own little corner of the world and is either repeating what he or she heard or read, or extrapolating what they heard or experienced once. If you really want some reliable information, I suggest you talk to the men and women on the fishing boats that go off-shore.

Listening to everyone will flat drive you nuts. So will pilot charts and anything that can get into a newspaper. Neither will be particularly predictive of what you will actually experience.

When is the break away day? Is this your first time out? Where else have you sailed? I'll enjoy watching your adventure. Nice web-site.

As for Michael (H), I think he thought you might be addressing him because he lives and does business in Fiji and has been in the Pacific longer than most anyone I know. He was in Pago back when I was a minnow and I learned a lot from him. I don't know where the other Michael is from.

Cheers.