"Soon after we left Nuku Hiva we ran into heavy rain, but this was only the prelude to a diabolical, scary afternoon. The clouds got heavier and heavier and it became really dark, then we entered a severe electrical storm which lasted about 4 hours. There was continual rolling thunder and then sheet and fork lightening everywhere, both from the clouds to the sea, and within the clouds. We were somewhat re-assured by our "bog- brush" lightening dissipater, but nevertheless felt we had to run a chain from the base of the capshroud into the water to try to present a track to the water should we get struck.
"To our great relief things eventually cleared after a few hours, and we've been rewarded with a gorgeous night - a clear sky and a bright crescent moon with a wonderful shimmer of moonlight on the sea. It's still quite windy, but we're well reefed down, and we've put up the runner to give the mast a bit more support. So we're careering downwind towards the Tuomotus at 7.5 knots - wonderful. We feel we earned it."