Current Position: 20 16.235’S 179 13.221’W; Local Timezone: UTC+23; SOG: 6.9 kt COG: 226; TWS: 26 kt; TWD: 85; Distance to Waypoint (Vanuatu, Efata, Port Vila): 724; Total Miles Sailed: 6106 nm;
Comments: A small squall hit me at 14:20 (as I was checking in yesterday) and caused an accidentally jibe. There was light rain and a few gusts, one of one when combined with an ill timed wave caused the jibe. I went to sleep at 17:00, an hour and a half before dark. Still trying to shake off whatever I picked up in Tonga. I woke up at 17:40 because one of the control lines on the windvane came loose, causing the boat to head up and the sails to flag (the sound of which awaken me). The wind direction shifted to due E (90) about 19:00. It was getting dark, so hard to tell if it was squalls, although there were certainly squalls in the area. I had to adjust the windvane. The wind was supposed to shift more easterly tonight, but early in the morning and to 100. It wasn’t supposed to shift to 90 until tomorrow afternoon. I did not have much choice. I had to head further S as jibing N would have put me on a collision course with the atolls to the E of Fiji. I set a course for 235 (waypoint 260). At 21:30 I got up to adjust the windvane. Normally, the depth recorder reads “- – -“, because the depth in these waters is 6500’. But, the reading was 198’ because I was passing over an underwater mountain (that was on the charts). I am trying to pass between the northern atoll Ogea and the southern Vatoa. I woke up at midnight and was headed straight for the latter, about 33 nm away. I adjusted course to try to pass north of it, probably about 5:30. It is tight enough that I will probably have to hand steer past it. At 3:30 at ship appeared 31 nm off the starboard bow, but it appeared to be stationary. I passed 16 nm N of Vatoa at 4:30. Depending on when I jibe, there should be no more land ahead of me for at least 400 nm. I woke up about 6:20. The boat was on the PW course doing 6.5 kt in 22 kt wind on a course of 220 (waypoint 265). I downloaded a new GRIB. Unfortunately, the forecast over the next week had not changed significantly, so I am going to get some dead air in a couple of days. I continue on this course until dusk, then jibe directly towards the main Fiji island of Veti Levu. As I reach the island Ono just S of Veti Levu Sunday midday, the air dies down. I have dead air 24-36h. Since the course brings me back to the layline for Port Villa, it seems like the best choice. Before the end of the day, I need to prepare the cabin for the jibe (so stuff does not fly across the cabin). The best part about jibing is that I will have following seas for the next few days, making it easier for the windvane to steer, and the waves will decrease as the wind dies down. It will be an opportunity to do some cooking. Dawn came and the boat was doing 7.2 kt in 26 kt of wind on a course of 220. The skies were partly cloudy and squally like yesterday. The seas were unchanged … angry and confused. Twelve more hours of this punishment and I will be able to jibe. I didn’t make tea yesterday, but did this morning. Despite the fact waves are coming over the cowling, I am determined to get some fresh air. The tea was made with soy milk that had gone off, so I didn’t finish it. I went below for about 30m and made breakfast with the yogurt, muesli, honey and banana I had gotten at the Tropicana Cafe. By the time I went back to the cockpit at 8:30, the boat was enveloped in a massive squall. The wind is blowing hard enough that they can come upon you in half an hour without advanced warning. Fortunately, the CAPE is low and the storms are low-energy, although the shifting winds mess with steering. I compare the actual course with the PW course at 9:00 and it is spot on. If this keeps up, I will jibe about 16:00. No vessels or obstructions within 50 nm, so I got some more sleep. At 10:00 I was waken up by sustained 35 kt winds from 75 than caused the boat to round up and head almost due S. I made an adjustment to the windvane knowing I’d probably be back up in 10m to change it back. The boat was averaging 7 kt, sometimes surfing down the waves at 10 kt. While I was up I turned the engine on to run the fridge and put a charge on the batteries. This will not be a day for solar. At 10:30, a Chinese fishing boat suddenly appeared on the AIS on my port side only 5.5 nm away and heading straight for me. They must of only now turned on their AIS, probably after seeing me on Radar. Its course and speed were variable, like mine, due to the wind and waves. At 5.5 nm the collision alarm went off and I turned on the VHF. The seas were big, probably 12’, making it difficult to spot the vessel. It may have been undertaking some maneuver as the speed kept changing from 2 to 9 kt and the direction from perpendicular to parallel my course. To further complicate matters, a squall was coming in, which will reduce visibility. Something was strange about the pattern. I expanded the AIS and it was actually two vessels on different courses. About 1 nm out, one of the vessels stopped and the other continued to head for me, passing my stern at 11:15, missing me by 0.25 nm, but not before splitting in two, leaving one half behind. It was a chain of fishing boats that were in the process of dispersing. Sometimes there are as many as ten of them in a chain. Following this check-in, I will wait until just before dusk, about 18:00, and then jibe. I have put on my swimming trunks because I expect the cockpit will get pooped as I turn downwind. The next land obstacle is Ono, which I should reach Sunday morning. However, fishing boats are thick between here and there, so I will need to remain alert. The distance travelled on has been 837-722=115 nm (more than I expected given how far off the waypoint I have been sailing). The total distance sailed was 6106-5966=138 nm (average 5.9 kt).
Comments: A small squall hit me at 14:20 (as I was checking in yesterday) and caused an accidentally jibe. There was light rain and a few gusts, one of one when combined with an ill timed wave caused the jibe. I went to sleep at 17:00, an hour and a half before dark. Still trying to shake off whatever I picked up in Tonga. I woke up at 17:40 because one of the control lines on the windvane came loose, causing the boat to head up and the sails to flag (the sound of which awaken me). The wind direction shifted to due E (90) about 19:00. It was getting dark, so hard to tell if it was squalls, although there were certainly squalls in the area. I had to adjust the windvane. The wind was supposed to shift more easterly tonight, but early in the morning and to 100. It wasn’t supposed to shift to 90 until tomorrow afternoon. I did not have much choice. I had to head further S as jibing N would have put me on a collision course with the atolls to the E of Fiji. I set a course for 235 (waypoint 260). At 21:30 I got up to adjust the windvane. Normally, the depth recorder reads “- – -“, because the depth in these waters is 6500’. But, the reading was 198’ because I was passing over an underwater mountain (that was on the charts). I am trying to pass between the northern atoll Ogea and the southern Vatoa. I woke up at midnight and was headed straight for the latter, about 33 nm away. I adjusted course to try to pass north of it, probably about 5:30. It is tight enough that I will probably have to hand steer past it. At 3:30 at ship appeared 31 nm off the starboard bow, but it appeared to be stationary. I passed 16 nm N of Vatoa at 4:30. Depending on when I jibe, there should be no more land ahead of me for at least 400 nm. I woke up about 6:20. The boat was on the PW course doing 6.5 kt in 22 kt wind on a course of 220 (waypoint 265). I downloaded a new GRIB. Unfortunately, the forecast over the next week had not changed significantly, so I am going to get some dead air in a couple of days. I continue on this course until dusk, then jibe directly towards the main Fiji island of Veti Levu. As I reach the island Ono just S of Veti Levu Sunday midday, the air dies down. I have dead air 24-36h. Since the course brings me back to the layline for Port Villa, it seems like the best choice. Before the end of the day, I need to prepare the cabin for the jibe (so stuff does not fly across the cabin). The best part about jibing is that I will have following seas for the next few days, making it easier for the windvane to steer, and the waves will decrease as the wind dies down. It will be an opportunity to do some cooking. Dawn came and the boat was doing 7.2 kt in 26 kt of wind on a course of 220. The skies were partly cloudy and squally like yesterday. The seas were unchanged … angry and confused. Twelve more hours of this punishment and I will be able to jibe. I didn’t make tea yesterday, but did this morning. Despite the fact waves are coming over the cowling, I am determined to get some fresh air. The tea was made with soy milk that had gone off, so I didn’t finish it. I went below for about 30m and made breakfast with the yogurt, muesli, honey and banana I had gotten at the Tropicana Cafe. By the time I went back to the cockpit at 8:30, the boat was enveloped in a massive squall. The wind is blowing hard enough that they can come upon you in half an hour without advanced warning. Fortunately, the CAPE is low and the storms are low-energy, although the shifting winds mess with steering. I compare the actual course with the PW course at 9:00 and it is spot on. If this keeps up, I will jibe about 16:00. No vessels or obstructions within 50 nm, so I got some more sleep. At 10:00 I was waken up by sustained 35 kt winds from 75 than caused the boat to round up and head almost due S. I made an adjustment to the windvane knowing I’d probably be back up in 10m to change it back. The boat was averaging 7 kt, sometimes surfing down the waves at 10 kt. While I was up I turned the engine on to run the fridge and put a charge on the batteries. This will not be a day for solar. At 10:30, a Chinese fishing boat suddenly appeared on the AIS on my port side only 5.5 nm away and heading straight for me. They must of only now turned on their AIS, probably after seeing me on Radar. Its course and speed were variable, like mine, due to the wind and waves. At 5.5 nm the collision alarm went off and I turned on the VHF. The seas were big, probably 12’, making it difficult to spot the vessel. It may have been undertaking some maneuver as the speed kept changing from 2 to 9 kt and the direction from perpendicular to parallel my course. To further complicate matters, a squall was coming in, which will reduce visibility. Something was strange about the pattern. I expanded the AIS and it was actually two vessels on different courses. About 1 nm out, one of the vessels stopped and the other continued to head for me, passing my stern at 11:15, missing me by 0.25 nm, but not before splitting in two, leaving one half behind. It was a chain of fishing boats that were in the process of dispersing. Sometimes there are as many as ten of them in a chain. Following this check-in, I will wait until just before dusk, about 18:00, and then jibe. I have put on my swimming trunks because I expect the cockpit will get pooped as I turn downwind. The next land obstacle is Ono, which I should reach Sunday morning. However, fishing boats are thick between here and there, so I will need to remain alert. The distance travelled on has been 837-722=115 nm (more than I expected given how far off the waypoint I have been sailing). The total distance sailed was 6106-5966=138 nm (average 5.9 kt).