News

Saturday Noon
Noon to noon run - 125 miles
Wind slowly shifting and diminishing. Bearing 220 on a starboard tack,
sailing close hauled. Speed down to 3 to 3.5 knots. Clouds, five -eights.
Every once in a while, a series of 15 foot swells coming from the SE will
lift us up from the port quarter and you can see the whole blue horizon.
Strange, wind from the NW but swells from the SE.
Must have been a big storm down behind us ????
Aiming for waypoint 14-00 S and 167-30 E, which is in the middle of Santa
Maria and Vanua Lava islands, still 390 miles from here.

Saturday June 12, 2004
Sailed all afternoon on close reach. Late afternoon the wind shifted a
little, coming from the NW. I sheeted in the sails and we were going close
hauled at 6 knots, bearing still 265 degrees. At midnight we encountered a
lightning storm, with winds coming from the South and we were suddenly
sailing 140 degrees! I hove to and waited for the storm to pass. It was not
long and we were breezing on our way again, this time on a beam reach, winds
from the North.The headsail sheet got stuck and I went in the dark up front
to fix it and in the process hit my left foot's tiny toe on one of the
headsail's track cars, ripping off the nail. I cursed those guys who stole
my Sperry Topsiders !
This morning at first light another wind shift, coming from the NNW,
sheeting in the sails, we are now going on close reach, bearing still 265.
I am heading straight for Santa Maria Island, which is part of the Vanuatu
Islands. I plan to sail between Santa Maria and Vanua Lava Islands, which is
still about 400 miles away. After passing them, I will turn more to the NW,
aiming for the top of the Great Barrier Reef.

Position at 0700 hrs
14-29 S
174-38 E
Cog 265
Sog 6.5 knots
Wind 15 knots
Wind from the NNW
Still on a starboard tack.

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Friday June 11 2004
Late afternoon yesterday, the squalls subsided. The sun came out and I had time to take all the damp matresses, linens and towels onto the deck to dry. The wind also slowly died down until we were drifting, sailing at 2 to 3.5 knots. It gave me time to take down the main and replace a lost batten. I ran the engine for a while to charge the batteries. Hoisted up the main and double reefed it for the night. With the headsail and double reefed main we cruised slowly all night, bearing 260.
This morning the wind picked up a little. First I took the windpilot's oar off and taped the shaft with duck tape to serve as a bushing.I need to repair this in Aus. too. The oar is too loose which allows us to zig-zag too much. How I miss the autohelm! Is anybody ever going to design one with lifetime warranty ????
With the oar back in place, I furled up the headsail and up went the assymetrical spinnaker with it's tack tied down at the bow and we are chopping down on a broad reach at 6 to 6.5 knots, starboard tack, bearing 260 degrees

Position at 0800 hrs
14-40 S
176-36 E

Thursday noon June 10, 2004
Noon to noon run, 120 miles. Best run so far since leaving Pago Pago.
Seven day run, 660 miles, a disappointing 94 average a day.
Have since yesterday, (after I prodded IT with my spurs) been happily galloping again, squalls or no squalls.
The whole horizon is full of squalls today and I have since learned how to take them on. They keep me busy trimming the sails and the windvane. The rain can sting!
The trades are supposed to be from the South East, but here we are sailing close hauled and sometimes on a close reach against a NN wester, bearing 270 degrees.

Had a strange encounter a while ago. IT was going at 6.5 knots in a 17 knot wind. Then suddenly, abruptly there was no wind at all. The annometer read zero, zip, nothing. The seas were bubbling, there was no way to tell which way the waves were rolling. It was like being in a boiling pot and IT was dancing in circles !
Crickey ! It was quite scarey. I started the motor and made a run for it. It was not even 5 minutes when the wind picked up again and gone was the boiling pot of water. I shut the motor off and we were going again! Very strange! Anybody out there who can explain this to me ?

Thursday June 10, 2004
Sailed into the eastern longitudes at 1300 yesterday. Took video footage of the GPS going through 180 degrees. It has rained all day and night. Sailed on a close reach then, as the wind shifted, on a beam reach then broad reach, all on port tack. Woke up at 0400 to find out that another Mr Squall had caught up with us. With winds at 38 knots, I got into the cockpit in my underwear and in the stinging rain furled up the headsail.
With the main full up, I had no choicebut to heave to. Rode it out and with the wind changing again, this time from the north east, took a jibe, going on a starboard tack.T hanks to my double preventer system, I can do it while standing in the companionway. Another windshift, from 270 degrees sailing, we were suddenly going 200 degrees. Blimey! Got out again, set the windpilot and trimmed the main.
What happened to the sunny days and cloudless nights with easy breezes of sailing I asked myself for the umpteenth time again.
Position at 0500
14-43 S
178-34 E
Cog 260
Sog 5.5 knots
Wind 11 knots

Wednesday noon June 9, 2004
With black clouds approaching from the south and west today, I was wondering - where the blazes am I. Never seen such constantly changing weather. Yesterday we were sailing on a starboard tack and this morning on a port tack, close hauled 260 degrees.
IT was happily galloping in this 18 knot breeze with rain and suddenly the wind subsided and it is pouring now. We are steady going forward at 3.8 knots.
Will hit 180 degrees longitude in a hour and half.Still 6 miles to go.
Got a clear weatherfax from New Zealand but unfortunately it is for more south than my present position.
Signal from Darwin still weak. Got a fax from them, but it is unclear.
Wind will soon change if yesterday's experience is anything to go by.
Crikey ! It just changed and I quickly had to dash out to set the windpilot and trim the sails.
Going 5 knots now on a beam reach. Winds down to 10 knots.
Still hoping the sun will come out so I can take things out to dry.
Will have corn beef for lunch, mixed with mayonnaise.

Wednesday June 9, 2004
Since my last log the northern sky turned black and I kept a watchful eye on it as it was approaching. When then wind picked up to 5 knots I took down the spinnaker and unfurled the headsail. It was not long before the wind was at 18 knots with rain. It lasted for two hours. Eventually the wind died down, but it kept raining for two more hours. The rain stopped and a beautiful rainbow appeared at the stern. Up went the spinnaker again. This time the tack was attached to the bow as the wind was on the beam. The wind slowly shifted until it was dead astern again and I had to get the spinnaker pole attached to the spinnaker's tack again. Sailed on a run till dark when the wind shifted once again. I took down the spinnaker and unfurled the headsail. With the windpilot steering and the wind shifting all night, we were not making good distance on the rhumb line. One moment we would sail 270 degrees, then it would be 320 degrees. Adjusting the windpilot we would get going again to 270, then when I woke up from my catnap we were going 220!!
The weather here in the west Pacific is much different from what I encountered in the west Pacific.
Saw my first sailboat about 10 miles from us, it was heading southwest.
No sun yet, everything still damp and wet.

Position at 0600
14-38 S
179-32 W ( approaching 180 !)
Cog 280
Sog 4 knots
Wind 7 knots
Wind from the north

Tuesday noon June 8
Have since got the spinnaker up and running. Got a 2 knot increase in speed. Almost going at 6 knots.
Batteries fully charged at 12.9 volts.
Aiming for waypoint 14 S,170 E.
Still a long way.
Present position
14-51 S
178-28 W

Wind shifting quite a lot. Dark clouds to the north. Have to watch it.

Tuesday June 8
0800 hrs
Laptop down again this morning
Position
14-53 S
178-14 W
Cog 270
Sog
4 knots
Wind down Motoring, charging batteries

Since writing yesterday's log, wind picked up and for the first time I sailed close hauled bearing 270.
It was fun sailing like this again, no rolling!
Wind went down overnight and I drifted with the current most of the time, drifting at 1.5 knots bearing 270.
Saw a few baby tunas frolicking like tiny dolphins beside IT. This morning at first light, I could see the peaks of the Islands de Horne to the north, about 30 miles from us.
Can clearly see them now, Futuna at 762 meters and Alofi at 366 meters. It is still too hot to heat or cook anything. I am eating straight out of the cans. For breakfast it was coffee and cookies, I am now out of granola bars. I also had my daily vitamin tablet.
All day I just snack, canned tuna mixed with mayonnaise and crackers, topped off with peanut butter and honey also on crackers.
Then it is corned beef also mixed with mayo and crackers or canned sardines. I snack on peanuts too. Drinks are iced tea without the ice or Tang orange, powdered cooldrink or water, milk powder and chocolate Nesquik. I just eat what I crave for, no fixed menu.
I spent this morning getting everything out of the hellhole and while the engine was running checked all batteries to see if they all are charging. Dried out the laptop on top of the engine. Everything OK for now again.

Tuesday am June 8
COMPUTER DOWN AGAIN POS 14.55S 178.05W

Monday Noon June 7
Since my last log this morning, and after lemon cookies and coffee for breakfast, I hauled up the mainsail. The wind was still down. Seeing that my batteries were low, I started the engine and with the tiller pilot connected to the windpilot, we ran under power for two hours. I have since also stripped the autohelm's wheelunit to see what the problem is. Those tiny plastic gears inside the gearbox were stripped. If I can get my hands on those tiny plastic gears, I will be able to repair the autohelm again. That will have to wait. The wind has picked up and IT is galloping happily again at 5 knots. There are dark clouds on the horizon and the sky is very cloudy with soft rain occasionally. Hope to put up the assymetrical spinnaker if the wind is not going to increase, but those dark clouds make me hesitate. Everything still damp inside, can't wait for the sun to show its face again.

Monday June 7
I hope the date is right
Position at 0600
15-01 S
176-36 W
Cog 260
Sog 2 knots
Wind - we are back in the doldrums

Been drifting all night in a circle
Almost no headway overnight
Not enough wind to put up the spinnaker

Sunday June 6 pm 2004
Position
14-58 S
176-01 W
Cog 250
Sog 4.5 knots
Wind 10 knots

Seas have becalmed as well as the wind. Sun is out again. Clothes etc drying on deck.
Me, too tired and stressed out after all the ordeal of Pago Pago and 4 days of stormy weather, am in no mood to put up more sail. Will rest one more night and then tackle more canvas.

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