Current Position: 16 42.173’S 163 32.068’E; Local Timezone: UTC+21; SOG: 7.0 kt COG: 330; TWS: 20 kt; TWD: 98; Distance to Waypoint (R1, Raine Passage, 272): 1172; Total Miles Sailed: 7257 nm; Engine Hours: 167 Estimate Fuel: 60+13+50
Comments: Sunset was about 17:30. The TWD of 130+ has allowed me to set a course towards the waypoint all day. However, beginning this evening the wind is going to veer to 100 or so by dawn, making it necessary to jibe N. It is 18:30 and I am about 100 nm from the Atoll de Huron. While my course right now has me north of the reef, the veering wind tonight will likely put me on a collision course with it. However, my arrival would be sometime mid morning, and I already plan to have jibed N by then. I woke up at 20:15 because it felt like the boat had changed directions (relative to the waves). The wind had shifted dramatically to 95. Also, the wind speed dropped to 15 with gusts of 20. I adjusted the windvane as much as I could to a course of 263, but the waypoint is at 273. The boat slowed to less than 5 kt. After some time the wind shifted again to 105. The change in the wind had begun, albeit early. I was loosing latitude, but it was still too early to jibe. At 22:45, the boat accidentally jibed. I looked at the trace and it was clear the wind had become variable. I unfurled most of the Yankee and could manage a little more than 5 kt mostly due W. I studied the wind patterns for about 30m. I considered shaking out a reef, but I knew it would not help that much. I also considered jibing, but as long as I could eke out a mostly westerly course, it was better to stay on a starboard tack. The GRIB was 18h old, so ai downloaded a new one. The weather plan had changed markedly. I was to jibe in 4h and head way N to the latitude of R1 so as to avoid dead air developing in the S. Winds would be lighter the next few days. The long-range AIS showed a passenger ferry heading towards me from the W at 12 kt. While 60 nm away, our combined speeds have us intercepting in 3-4h. I set an alarm for 2h and went back to sleep. At 3:00 the passenger ship passed 20 nm S of me and I was still making progress W, so I went back and to sleep. At 4:30 I woke up, shook out the second reef, fully deployed the jib, and jibed to a course of 325 at a little over 6 kt. The ride is smoother … a better angle to the swells. Time to gain some latitude. I’m at 17.5S and need to be 11S for the Raine Passage. I’ve been lucky so far, but there are a bunch of fishing trawlers around 15S. At 5:40, I changed the course to 330 and an making 6.7 kt. Sunrise should be about 6:35, but it is light enough that I can tell there are fewer clouds than yesterday. It looks like I will have these wind conditions (17/23) until late this afternoon, then the wind will start slowing down. Tomorrow it will be relatively light (13/17) then early Wednesday it should pick up a bit. One reason for heading N is to catch more wind. I fell back asleep and was awaken at 6:30 by the shower sump bilge pump. I saw some water come from the chain locker hose. The drain is on the port side, so the starboard tack dumped some water into the bilge. Also, I was doing 7.5 kt and waves were breaking over the bow. I went to the foredeck and stuffed a rag in the hawse pipe. At least I know the automatic feature of that pump is working again. The boat at sped up because the wind was coming from 95 degrees at 25 kt. There were squalls in the area, so this change in wind is probably temporary. The wind eventually to 115 and 19. It is 9:20 and sailing conditions have thus far been near perfect. I have had 20-25 kt winds from 100, following seas, and have averaged 6.8 kt with the full Yankee and one reef in the main. Unfortunately, very little sunlight. The course has been about 330 (R1 is at 273). My course is a bit more acute than the weather plan, which currently has me waiting to the Solomon Islands before jibing W for R1. I have been sitting in the cockpit all morning drinking tea and listening to music, but it is starting to get (relatively) cold and wet. It is 10:40 and finally some sunshine. Most of the rest of the day had periods of sunshine, allowing me to fully charge the batteries. The current PW weather route has me arriving at the GBR about 200 nm S of the latitude of R1 and following the reef up to the passage. That sounds nerve-racking. I am sticking to my original plan of heading N until I can head W to the passage. The distances sailed towards R1 in the last 24h was 1296-1172=124 nm. The total distance sailed was 7257-7107=150 nm (150/24=6.25 kt avg.).
Comments: Sunset was about 17:30. The TWD of 130+ has allowed me to set a course towards the waypoint all day. However, beginning this evening the wind is going to veer to 100 or so by dawn, making it necessary to jibe N. It is 18:30 and I am about 100 nm from the Atoll de Huron. While my course right now has me north of the reef, the veering wind tonight will likely put me on a collision course with it. However, my arrival would be sometime mid morning, and I already plan to have jibed N by then. I woke up at 20:15 because it felt like the boat had changed directions (relative to the waves). The wind had shifted dramatically to 95. Also, the wind speed dropped to 15 with gusts of 20. I adjusted the windvane as much as I could to a course of 263, but the waypoint is at 273. The boat slowed to less than 5 kt. After some time the wind shifted again to 105. The change in the wind had begun, albeit early. I was loosing latitude, but it was still too early to jibe. At 22:45, the boat accidentally jibed. I looked at the trace and it was clear the wind had become variable. I unfurled most of the Yankee and could manage a little more than 5 kt mostly due W. I studied the wind patterns for about 30m. I considered shaking out a reef, but I knew it would not help that much. I also considered jibing, but as long as I could eke out a mostly westerly course, it was better to stay on a starboard tack. The GRIB was 18h old, so ai downloaded a new one. The weather plan had changed markedly. I was to jibe in 4h and head way N to the latitude of R1 so as to avoid dead air developing in the S. Winds would be lighter the next few days. The long-range AIS showed a passenger ferry heading towards me from the W at 12 kt. While 60 nm away, our combined speeds have us intercepting in 3-4h. I set an alarm for 2h and went back to sleep. At 3:00 the passenger ship passed 20 nm S of me and I was still making progress W, so I went back and to sleep. At 4:30 I woke up, shook out the second reef, fully deployed the jib, and jibed to a course of 325 at a little over 6 kt. The ride is smoother … a better angle to the swells. Time to gain some latitude. I’m at 17.5S and need to be 11S for the Raine Passage. I’ve been lucky so far, but there are a bunch of fishing trawlers around 15S. At 5:40, I changed the course to 330 and an making 6.7 kt. Sunrise should be about 6:35, but it is light enough that I can tell there are fewer clouds than yesterday. It looks like I will have these wind conditions (17/23) until late this afternoon, then the wind will start slowing down. Tomorrow it will be relatively light (13/17) then early Wednesday it should pick up a bit. One reason for heading N is to catch more wind. I fell back asleep and was awaken at 6:30 by the shower sump bilge pump. I saw some water come from the chain locker hose. The drain is on the port side, so the starboard tack dumped some water into the bilge. Also, I was doing 7.5 kt and waves were breaking over the bow. I went to the foredeck and stuffed a rag in the hawse pipe. At least I know the automatic feature of that pump is working again. The boat at sped up because the wind was coming from 95 degrees at 25 kt. There were squalls in the area, so this change in wind is probably temporary. The wind eventually to 115 and 19. It is 9:20 and sailing conditions have thus far been near perfect. I have had 20-25 kt winds from 100, following seas, and have averaged 6.8 kt with the full Yankee and one reef in the main. Unfortunately, very little sunlight. The course has been about 330 (R1 is at 273). My course is a bit more acute than the weather plan, which currently has me waiting to the Solomon Islands before jibing W for R1. I have been sitting in the cockpit all morning drinking tea and listening to music, but it is starting to get (relatively) cold and wet. It is 10:40 and finally some sunshine. Most of the rest of the day had periods of sunshine, allowing me to fully charge the batteries. The current PW weather route has me arriving at the GBR about 200 nm S of the latitude of R1 and following the reef up to the passage. That sounds nerve-racking. I am sticking to my original plan of heading N until I can head W to the passage. The distances sailed towards R1 in the last 24h was 1296-1172=124 nm. The total distance sailed was 7257-7107=150 nm (150/24=6.25 kt avg.).