How nice is the Pacific??

What a shitty night.... yesterday we motored until 1630 and then the wind filled in from the south and we sailed along nice. Looking at the new forecast it didn't look so bad saying we would have around the 20kt mark for the night. It slowly built at dark and by 2130 we had squalls gusting to 30 with lightning and the seas had built. Problem was also the wind angle SSW which meant to keep our reasonable course we have it right on the beam. With 3 reefs in and the tiniest triangle of Genoa we carry on WNW with very little sleep and a lot of creaking. It's a fine line as we don't want to go to fast and when we bare away we are doing 7+kts flying down the faces of waves so we then try and point up a bit but if to much we cop a few crackers slapping the side of the hull with a mighty crash.
Then just after daybreak the mother squall she came through bringing 40kts, she was really cranking. We started to go with it but then thought better and hove too for the last bit of it with just the main and waited for it to pass, it only lasted an hour and we were back sailing again. Looking west on the grib it shows we should have clearer sky's by this afternoon so the further west we get the better the conditions hopefully are, even though it says stronger winds at least there hopefully won't be the squalls, by tomorrow hopefully it's a lot better, it's definitely not a fishing trip!!
Our freezer has also given up, doesn't like the weather either but hopefully it comes good when it calms down, its like it gets a bubble in the gas or something with all the movement, so no opening it up today to get ice for the rum and coke that's for sure.
There was also a Chinese fishing vessel on AIS typically as everything is going on so no doubt there are more around will have to keep a closer eye out, first boat seen since NZ 6 days ago.
So all is well and hopefully the next forecast brings some good news
Midday update POS 29*00s 163*04e.
648nm to Bundaberg