Monday 29th April 2013
11:30am Downloaded fresh weather info - looks OK to make good speed - so now making around 6kt on 020T - beam reach on starboard tack in E wind of 15kt or more.
Ran main engine in neutral to charge batteries - takes twice the diesel of the little generator and not good for engine to run under no load so hope to fix generator a.s.a.p. - but too rough today.
6pm Sunset close - it will be dark by 7pm. We've been making 7kt for quite a time - nice to see a good speed! Seas have been consistently up at around 3m & on beam, so throwing us around quite often.... difficult to get much done when it's rough like this. it's not so much the wave height as the fact that the distance apart is not much - only about a 4 second interval. It looks as though the deep Low forming over the Fiji area is all set to move off SSE by the time we get closer - our slowing down has helped avoid the bad weather but now I'm trying to make the most of the wind while we've got it - by the end of the week, when we're passing NW of Fiji, it could well have died away, it seems.
Was late getting to Pacific Seafarers' Net - lay down for a rest for an hour or so - came to at 3:45pm - 15mins late - and no details ready yet either... so hurriedly put the data together and called in. Gary, ZL2GLM, relayed to Jane, NH7TZ, Net Control, who kindly took my report almost immediately. I've been checking in daily since halfway across the Indian Ocean so I've been first on the rollcall for some time now - it's a worry for them if I miss my check-in.
Afterwards, had a chat with Canadian friends Sue & Doug on 'Longshot II' with their youngsters. We met up in Honolulu last year and they've just spent the NZ summer & cyclone season in the North Island, getting boat projects done, in addition to exploring New Zealand. We'll meet up again in Victoria after they get back in late August, ready for the new school year, having taken a year out for their kids to sail the Pacific together and school them on board- what a great education they've had!
11.:30pm Speed down from 7kt to 6kt or less - reduced genoa for less heel and less bumpy ride overnight. Weather outlook seems good. If less rough tomorrow, hope to get to genset repair. Bright moon peeking through ragged clouds... a few stars visible also.
D.M.G. over 24hr to 11am LT: 81 n.ml. Sydney: 1192 n.ml. (241T); New Zealand's North Cape: 515 n.ml. (176T); New Caledonia: 358 n.ml. (305T); Fiji (Viti Levu): 541 n.ml. (033T).
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For my positions and track, see:
www.svnereida.com - 'Travels' - "Where is 'Nereida'?"
and/or:
http://www.exactearth.com/media-centre/recent-ship-tracks/tracking-nereida/