Tuesday 8th May 2012
Very few birds seen today - just the occasional visit by a Buller's albatross and several visits from a solitary Cape petrel.
This afternoon, the expected Cold Front came through after a day of quite light winds. Ahead was the usual cloud layer but with only a hint of light rain, and wind which had slowly backed from yesterday's NE to an overnight N and then stayed roughly NW 12 knots most of the day until around 4pm, when it quickly backed to WSW as the Front passed over, increasing to 25 knots or more. There was a lovely sunset with the red-gold sunlight catching the underneath of the clearing low cloud layer. I had to gybe to stay on course, expecting the wind to back further, which by tonight it has - to SE . So we've been through pretty well all possible sail trims - through almost dead downwind, from close-hauled to a broad reach on starboard tack back to close-hauled on port tack.
Forecast for tomorrow is for wind to inrease - to around 25 knots from the East eventually - so holding our NE course will get increasingly difficult..... Maybe they've got that wrong! Especially since the forecast is for NE 35 kt on Thursday...
Had several radio chats today, again - but not quite so much as yesterday! Spoke to Meri, who runs Bluff Fishermen's Radio, on South Island, just N of Stewart Island. Several fishing boats also checked in with her, giving position and weather - she keeps an eye on them to make sure all is well onboard and they tell her when they expect to make which harbour.
Must get into my night sleep routine - expecting strong wind by morning, so won't remove many layers, if any!
DMG today: 124 n.ml. Distance to Tahiti: 2602 n.ml. - approx. another 3 weeks of sailing!