Current Position: 12 18.893’S 128 03.030’E; Local Timezone: UTC+8 SOG: 4.2; COG: 253; TWS: 16 kt; TWD: 120; Distance to Waypoint (Ashmore Reef, 269): 300; Total Miles Sailed: 9714 nm; Engine Hours: 229; Estimate Fuel: 60+11+50;
Correction: The distance to the waypoint and h to r engine hours are corrected.
Comments: Note, beginning with this report I sm moving to the UTC+8 time zone. It is 17:00, almost dusk, and there is essentially zero wind. I took advantage to properly reef the main and furl in some of the jib, in anticipation of strong winds later tonight. I should start moving again in a couple of hours and start seeing gust of 25-30 after midnight. I will probably need to put a second reef in the main then. The wind is supposed to be from the SE, making progress W towards the waypoint possible. It is 18:00 and I just downloaded new GRIBs. In the 4-5h since doing that last time, the forecast has completely changed. Strong winds are not expected the next couple of days. It looks like very light winds all night. Tomorrow morning looks like this morning, 15 with gusts up to 25 until early afternoon. There is no wind right now, but eventually the light wind should come from the S, so I will set up the sails for that eventuality. It is 18:15 and there is a fishing boat 5 nm off my port bow. I saw its lights while setting the sails and checked the AIS. Looks like we’re going to pass one another port to port in about 20m. By 18:30 the wind was blowing again, 6 kt, enough to drive the boat toward the waypoint at 3 kt with the help of a strong current. I went to sleep at 19:30 with a 2h alarm. At 22:30 the conditions were unchanged. I set the alarm for 2h and at 23:30 they were unchanged (still 3 kt SOG in 6 kt of wind), but I was being pushed a bit N by the current. At 00:30 I was awaken by the sounds of the rigging. A few minutes later the alarm went off on the TillerPilot because the wind had gone to zero and it could no longer maintain the course. I disengaged the TillerPilot, steered in the direction of the current (with the aid of the engine), snd locked off the tiller with a course of 330. The boat was drifting with the 0.7 kt current. The current direction was expected to veer, sending me in the wrong direction without wind, and not come back around until about dawn. I set a 30m alarm and when I woke there was 3-4 kt wind, just enough to make 1 kt against a 0.4 kt current. This continued until about 3:30 when the wind picked up to 7-8 kt from almost due S. I was ably to make 1.5 kt towards the waypoint against a strong 1.5 kt current. I have been following a tug on AIS. It is off my starboard bow about 5 nm and will pass in about 30m. At 4:00 I decided to download a new GRIB as they don’t seem to be reliable more than 6h out in these waters. I also need fresh long-range AIS data. Sure enough, the forecasted wind velocities have been decreased. I can still expect double digits today but in the 15-18 kt range after sunrise. A huge area of dead air is developing in the middle of the Timor Sea. The only wind is close to the coasts (and the shoals). Further, for the first time the models are not consistent, some have me going N and some S. I am going to stick it out in the middle and when I have a good period of light wind I will break out the asymm. Sunrise will be about 5:40. It is 5:00 and the double-digits winds have showed up … 13 kt. Just before sunrise, the winds started to gust to 22, overwhelming the TillerPilot, so I switched to the windvane. The boat is averaging 5 kt with a current on the bean that is driving it somewhat S of the waypoint. At sunrise I am seeing gusts of 27. I suspect these will be short-lived, like yesterday, so I hand-steer through them rather than put a second reef in the main. The 0.7 kt current is veering to align with my course. I am average 5.5 on nearly a run. The short-steep waves developed quickly, within 30m of the 20+ kt winds. I trimmed the jib and am now making over 6 kt during the gusts. It would be nice to chip away at the remaining 345 nm. I’ve only averaged 60 nm/day the two days I have been sailing. At this rate it will take 6 more days to get to the reef. It’s simple … it’s taking twice as long to sail this passage as it usually does because I am only sailing half the day (or less). The sun just peeked over the horizon and I experienced a 32 kt gusts. Finally, at 6:00 I had to put a second reef in. It was blowing 28 consistently with 33 kt gusts. It took me 20m to get the reef completely in … not easy in 30 Kt winds that was made more difficult when the boat kept heaving to. Once in, I saw 6.5-7.5 kt boat speeds in 25-30 kt winds and a 1.3 Kt current. I was soaking wet from the spray and I was particular disappointed that my morning tea had been contaminated with salt water. I am about halfway across the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, and area of weather disturbance that I believe produces the choppy lumpy seas. The windvane is of course working much better now that the boat is not overpowered. I am even able to enjoy my breakfast of yogurt, muesli, and banana (only one banana left) in the cockpit. As expected, by 7:00 the winds had settled into 18-20 kt with infrequent gusts. Tired from wrestling the tiller and sails, and since there were no vessels in the area, I laid down for a rest. I was only down 30m when the boat jibed, probably because of the changing current. At 11:30 the sailboat Oda suddenly appeared behind me. They were only doing a half kt faster than me and didn’t show up on the long-range AIS maps until about the same time, so I am guessing they had their AIS turned off. They seem to be sailing directly downwind. They passed about 4 nm off my starboard. It is noon. Winds are down to 15 with no gusts. The boat speed is 3.5 and the SOG 4.5, added in part by a 1.5 kt current. I should be able to do better, but the short steep waves and generally confused seas are slowing me down. When the winds are stronger, I can power through the seas, but ai have to sheet the jib now to keep it from slatting violently. I’ve done about 60 nm on since the check-in last night, about 21.5h ago, so it will be another 60-70 nm day, with almost all the miles coming in the morning. The speed of the boat is not proportional to the wind speed. Early in the morning, despite having big, disruptive waves, the boat powers through in the 25 kt wind because there is relatively little slatting. Later in the day, relatively good boat speed is attained because the sea conditions are better and the wind isn’t dumped from the sails every few seconds in 12 kt wind. In between is rough, when the wind is 18 and the seas are still big. The sailing in the middle of the afternoon is most comfortable and efficient. An ABF aircraft contacted me via VHF at 14:00 with the usual questions. I note that the winds are lasting later in the day today compared to yesterday. The SOG was 1.5-2 against a 0.4 kt current. The distance sailed towards Ashmore Reef in the last 24.75h was 375-300=75 nm. The total distance sailed was 9714-9645=69 nm (69/24.75=2.3 kt avg.). Note this discrepancy is due to the current.
Correction: The distance to the waypoint and h to r engine hours are corrected.
Comments: Note, beginning with this report I sm moving to the UTC+8 time zone. It is 17:00, almost dusk, and there is essentially zero wind. I took advantage to properly reef the main and furl in some of the jib, in anticipation of strong winds later tonight. I should start moving again in a couple of hours and start seeing gust of 25-30 after midnight. I will probably need to put a second reef in the main then. The wind is supposed to be from the SE, making progress W towards the waypoint possible. It is 18:00 and I just downloaded new GRIBs. In the 4-5h since doing that last time, the forecast has completely changed. Strong winds are not expected the next couple of days. It looks like very light winds all night. Tomorrow morning looks like this morning, 15 with gusts up to 25 until early afternoon. There is no wind right now, but eventually the light wind should come from the S, so I will set up the sails for that eventuality. It is 18:15 and there is a fishing boat 5 nm off my port bow. I saw its lights while setting the sails and checked the AIS. Looks like we’re going to pass one another port to port in about 20m. By 18:30 the wind was blowing again, 6 kt, enough to drive the boat toward the waypoint at 3 kt with the help of a strong current. I went to sleep at 19:30 with a 2h alarm. At 22:30 the conditions were unchanged. I set the alarm for 2h and at 23:30 they were unchanged (still 3 kt SOG in 6 kt of wind), but I was being pushed a bit N by the current. At 00:30 I was awaken by the sounds of the rigging. A few minutes later the alarm went off on the TillerPilot because the wind had gone to zero and it could no longer maintain the course. I disengaged the TillerPilot, steered in the direction of the current (with the aid of the engine), snd locked off the tiller with a course of 330. The boat was drifting with the 0.7 kt current. The current direction was expected to veer, sending me in the wrong direction without wind, and not come back around until about dawn. I set a 30m alarm and when I woke there was 3-4 kt wind, just enough to make 1 kt against a 0.4 kt current. This continued until about 3:30 when the wind picked up to 7-8 kt from almost due S. I was ably to make 1.5 kt towards the waypoint against a strong 1.5 kt current. I have been following a tug on AIS. It is off my starboard bow about 5 nm and will pass in about 30m. At 4:00 I decided to download a new GRIB as they don’t seem to be reliable more than 6h out in these waters. I also need fresh long-range AIS data. Sure enough, the forecasted wind velocities have been decreased. I can still expect double digits today but in the 15-18 kt range after sunrise. A huge area of dead air is developing in the middle of the Timor Sea. The only wind is close to the coasts (and the shoals). Further, for the first time the models are not consistent, some have me going N and some S. I am going to stick it out in the middle and when I have a good period of light wind I will break out the asymm. Sunrise will be about 5:40. It is 5:00 and the double-digits winds have showed up … 13 kt. Just before sunrise, the winds started to gust to 22, overwhelming the TillerPilot, so I switched to the windvane. The boat is averaging 5 kt with a current on the bean that is driving it somewhat S of the waypoint. At sunrise I am seeing gusts of 27. I suspect these will be short-lived, like yesterday, so I hand-steer through them rather than put a second reef in the main. The 0.7 kt current is veering to align with my course. I am average 5.5 on nearly a run. The short-steep waves developed quickly, within 30m of the 20+ kt winds. I trimmed the jib and am now making over 6 kt during the gusts. It would be nice to chip away at the remaining 345 nm. I’ve only averaged 60 nm/day the two days I have been sailing. At this rate it will take 6 more days to get to the reef. It’s simple … it’s taking twice as long to sail this passage as it usually does because I am only sailing half the day (or less). The sun just peeked over the horizon and I experienced a 32 kt gusts. Finally, at 6:00 I had to put a second reef in. It was blowing 28 consistently with 33 kt gusts. It took me 20m to get the reef completely in … not easy in 30 Kt winds that was made more difficult when the boat kept heaving to. Once in, I saw 6.5-7.5 kt boat speeds in 25-30 kt winds and a 1.3 Kt current. I was soaking wet from the spray and I was particular disappointed that my morning tea had been contaminated with salt water. I am about halfway across the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, and area of weather disturbance that I believe produces the choppy lumpy seas. The windvane is of course working much better now that the boat is not overpowered. I am even able to enjoy my breakfast of yogurt, muesli, and banana (only one banana left) in the cockpit. As expected, by 7:00 the winds had settled into 18-20 kt with infrequent gusts. Tired from wrestling the tiller and sails, and since there were no vessels in the area, I laid down for a rest. I was only down 30m when the boat jibed, probably because of the changing current. At 11:30 the sailboat Oda suddenly appeared behind me. They were only doing a half kt faster than me and didn’t show up on the long-range AIS maps until about the same time, so I am guessing they had their AIS turned off. They seem to be sailing directly downwind. They passed about 4 nm off my starboard. It is noon. Winds are down to 15 with no gusts. The boat speed is 3.5 and the SOG 4.5, added in part by a 1.5 kt current. I should be able to do better, but the short steep waves and generally confused seas are slowing me down. When the winds are stronger, I can power through the seas, but ai have to sheet the jib now to keep it from slatting violently. I’ve done about 60 nm on since the check-in last night, about 21.5h ago, so it will be another 60-70 nm day, with almost all the miles coming in the morning. The speed of the boat is not proportional to the wind speed. Early in the morning, despite having big, disruptive waves, the boat powers through in the 25 kt wind because there is relatively little slatting. Later in the day, relatively good boat speed is attained because the sea conditions are better and the wind isn’t dumped from the sails every few seconds in 12 kt wind. In between is rough, when the wind is 18 and the seas are still big. The sailing in the middle of the afternoon is most comfortable and efficient. An ABF aircraft contacted me via VHF at 14:00 with the usual questions. I note that the winds are lasting later in the day today compared to yesterday. The SOG was 1.5-2 against a 0.4 kt current. The distance sailed towards Ashmore Reef in the last 24.75h was 375-300=75 nm. The total distance sailed was 9714-9645=69 nm (69/24.75=2.3 kt avg.). Note this discrepancy is due to the current.