Indian Ocean – 11-06S / 111-39E – 163 miles south of Java – Bound for Reunion Island
The day came in light airs with the Picton Castle still under power. Not much wind but we shut down the engine anyway. The Christmas tree was decorated and lit up on the hatch. Soon there was what looked like a mountain of presents beneath it, corralled in by an old hawser. Soon crew were cutting out snowflakes and decorating cookies to an endless playlist of Christmas music, of all kinds, provided by Tammy – country, rock, gospel, silly, serious and fun music too. Tammy made a million cookies while we were in Bali and many crew made more too.
About 1600 Santa showed up, perhaps arriving on the backs of the minke whales we spotted, in a red pareau and heaviy tattooed, looked suspiciously like Toad. When Santa was done, which included Dawson rendering unto him milk & cookies, Leo and Dawson distributed the many presents to all hands. Donald had conjured up a steak feast for the evening. The wind filled in enough to give us steerage way. Overnight the wind picked up to give us almost four knots in almost the right direction. All night the tree remained lit under the awning. All is calm, all is bright.