Author: mtashby

Current Position: 24 30.877’S 50 29.640’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 4.8; COG: 295; TWS: 16 kt; TWD: 80; P (12:00): 1017.4; P (18:00): 1014.9; P (24:00): 1016.4; P (6:00): 1014.7; Distance to Waypoint (26s47s, 268): 208; Total Miles Sailed: 14497 nm; Engine Hours: 271; Estimate Fuel: 45+15+50;
Comments: It is 7:00 and I am only making 3.6 kt in 11 kt wind in a deep broad reach. Hoping for a bit more wind when the air warms up. Also, I really need the wind to back some more so I can get a better angle. WhatsApp is no longer working. It needs an update, but that will have to wait until I get to South Africa. At 8:00 the wind had veered to 110 and I had sailed far enough N that RBay1 was at 270, so I tacked to port and was able to make 270 in a deep broad reach. I decided not to wait because I had four vessels about to pass me from the Starboard side (I had been crossing their paths) and wanted to give them time to reach. 15 nm behind me and closing, I radioed the tanker New Pearl and confirmed he had me on AIS. I also confirmed I had tacked in front of him and it was my intention to maintain a course of 250. The wind shifted again just before 9:00. I could not maintain a course to the starboard side of New Pearl so had to tack to the starboard. New Pearl radioed and asked my intention. I explained the wind shifted again and I would maintain my present course until he had passed me, which he did about 9:20. The wind continued to shift between 90 and 120, making it difficult to maintain a course. I started to see some 16 kt gusts. The gusts were backed more than the breeze. I currently have 10 commercial vessels on the AIS. At 9:45 I shook out the first reef. I noted the second reefing line is now a few inches too short (after I was forced to shorten it due to chaffing). I will need to replace it at my first opportunity. As expected, in a deep broad reach, it did not add much to the boat speed. I tried to ease the main sheet, but ran I to the usual problem of the Yankee slatting as it fell in the shadow of the main … actually making the boat go slower. About the best I can do in the 12 kt winds falling exactly on the rhumb line is 4.7 kt. I could increase the TWA, but that would either drive me to the dead air S of me or too far up the Madagascar coastline. I compromised, heading a bit N on a starboard tack with the expectation I would have to tack a couple of times. Finally, by early afternoon the wind had backed like the forecast said it would do more than 24h ago. By 14:00 it was 50, allowing me to steer towards the waypoint at 269 with a decent TWA that built some boat speed (5.8 kt in 11 kt wind). Unfortunately, by 15:00 the wind had dropped to single digits (7-8 kt). At 18:00 I downloaded new GRIB/AIS data. The good news is I have mostly cleared the fishing vessels. The bad news is I have a huge number of cargo ships to deal with. Also, there is a large amount of dead air between here and RBay1 as a result of a low that has moved into the SE corner of Madagascar. I have been observing the barometer drop the last 12h. While I finally have a good TWA, there is little wind … it has blown 8 kt all afternoon. The skies are clear and sunset was at 18:40 at 51 26’e. I have made 55 nm on since the check-in 12h ago and I had to fight for every one of them. The cargo ship Minoan Glory passed 2 nm N of me a little after 19:00. A half dozen cargo ships passed during the night. I was awaken at 3:30 because the boat had rounded up in some 17 kt wind. There are a string of three ships spaced 30 nm apart to my port. The first is 20 nm away (1.5h). Sunrise was at 5:59 (at 50 30’e). It is cloudy … evidence of the passing low. The distance sailed towards RBay1 in the last 24h was 313-208=105 nm. The total distance sailed was 14497-14399=98 nm (98/24=4.08 kt avg.). The discrepancy is due to a current. I have averaged 800/7=114 nm/d so far on this passage … slow going. I expected it to take 8d to RBay1 and it will take 8.5. I still need to cross some dead air tomorrow, but I expect to react RBay1 later tomorrow night (Thursday morning).

Current Position: 24 03.296’S 52 20.250’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 3.8; COG: 303; TWS: 12 kt; TWD: 100; P (12:00): 1020.8; P (18:00): 1018.3; P (24:00): 1019.5; P (6:00): 1017.7; Distance to Waypoint (26s47s, 270): 313; Total Miles Sailed: 14399 nm; Engine Hours: 271; Estimate Fuel: 45+15+50;
Comments: It is 7:00 and three ships are passing N of me 4-20 nm. It looks like another one is headed straight for me, perhaps 90m away. Also, I am passing the first two of many fishing trawlers I will encounter in the next 36h. It concerns me that like the Indonesian fishermen, some may not have AIS, although that would be suicidal in this shipping lane. I am still only making 3 kt on in a strong 1.3 kt countercurrent. Tried to trim the sails to pick up a little more speed, but the best I can do is 3.3 in 12 kt wind. The cargo ship Bravos has appeared on the AIS 20 nm off my bow and will pass within 1 nm without a course change. The ship passed 2 nm N at 8:45. It is 9:00 and the current appears to be finally changing, slowly rotating counterclockwise. Also, the wind is backing. By noon the 1.4 kt current was hitting the port beam, no longer hindering progress and instead driving the boat N. The wind had picked up to 16 and I was making almost 5 kt on. I have had a fresh tomato sandwich each of the past 5d, but ate the last tomato today. I had to throw one bad one out, so timed it about right. I have noted as has Des that there is a low developing tonight near RBay1. However, the energy is relatively low and it should disperse before I am near it. If I can make RBay1 by Thursday (I’ll need some help from the wind), it looks like conditions may be good for passing the southern end of Madagascar … I don’t have a feeling for what is in store for me after that. At 13:00 the cargo ship NSU Pride appeared in the AIS. It will pass 8 nm N of me in 40m. The tanker DHT Panther passed 10 nm S of me at the same time. It is 15:00 and the wind has backed to 95. The wind is expected to blow from the NE quadrant for the remainder of the passage to RBay1. When it hits 70-80, I will tack, probably early this evening. It is a bright sunny day, so I am running the watermaker. The cargo ship Star Ophelia was going to pass about 1 nm S in front of my bow at 18:00, but ai adjusted my course more northward to distance myself from the ship and slow us to pass port to port. Sunset is at 18:13 at the Port Louis, Mauritius (57.5e), at my current location (53e) it should be about 18m later, 18:31. The sun sat behind a cloud bank. I was hoping to tack before sunset, but the wind did not back as quickly as predicted. At 20:30 I tacked starboard even though the TWA was still 100. I was fighting a cross current and the windvane would not hold a deep broad reach. Now going with the current, the boat picked up some speed and was doing close to 5. I downloaded new AIS data … I have a half dozen cargo ships/tankers and as many fishing boats to deal with tonight. At 23:20 I was contacted by the cargo ship CHS World, which would pass my stern 2 nm in about 30m. They asked me where I was going, curious I suppose because my heading was to the middle of the E coast of Madagascar. I told them my destination was South Africa and that I was tacking under sail. They wished me a safe journey. It is the first time I have been contacted by a cargo ship to chat. I suppose with the hundred ships in a 300 nm radius on a heading of either 60 or 240, I do look a bit odd on 285. It is 6:00 and it looks like I’ll make it through most of the massive numbers of fishing boats during the daylight hours today. Sunrise was at 5:54. The sky is clear and the sea calm. I shook out the second reef and unfurled the remaining Yankee in 12 kt wind from 85. It seems the wind has finally appeared from the NE quadrant … barely. I am making almost 5 kt on a course of 298 (waypoint 270). The distance sailed towards RBay1 in the last 24h was 400-313=87 nm. The total distance sailed was 14399-14305=94 nm (94/24=3.97 kt avg.). Looking at the forecast, I am guessing I will arrive at RBay1 early Thursday morning.

Current Position: 23 43.59’S 53 54.620’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 3.4 (against a 1.4 current); COG: 270; TWS: 12 kt; TWD: 148; P (12:00): 1020.4; P (18:00): 1020.0; P (24:00): 1022.2; P (6:00): 1021.0; Distance to Waypoint (26s47s, 271): 400; Total Miles Sailed: 14305 nm; Engine Hours: 271; Estimate Fuel: 48+12+50;
Comments: It is 6:45 and the wind is blowing from 25. From the look of the clouds ahead, I figure I have a few hours before the wind shifts S. I am spending the time cooking … hard boiling some eggs and making a pasta dish (something easy to eat cold). It is 7:00 and I see the first rain storm ahead. By 9:00 the wind had dropped to a couple of kt and the boat was practically still. It is 9:00 and the convergence zone had arrived … a big wall of rain stretch long across the southern horizon. I took the preventer off and sheeted in the main. By 9:10 the wind had shifted to 250, it started to rain, and I tacked to the starboard on a course of 330 if. I saw a dozen sailfish take to the air all at once. By 9:30 the wind was blowing 24 kt from 160 and I was doing 5 kt on a course of 275. By 9:45 the wind was gusting in the low 20s, the boat was nearly in a beam reach, and it felt under control, so I didn’t put the second reef in. I trimmed the sails and was averaging 5.7 in a cross current. The wind is blowing from 175 and the boat was on 290. Expecting the wind to back I left the boat headed 20 degrees N of the rhumb line. At 10:00 two cargo ships passed, one to the N and one to the S, both about 10 nm. A third ship appeared just S of the other one. By 10:30 the wind was blowing consistently 25 from due S and the boat heeled badly, so I put the second reef in, better balancing the sails. The average speed was 6.7 now. I will note the winds arrived about 4h earlier than predicted at 6:00 this morning. The winds should lighten up after dusk. By 13:30 the rain clouds had blown over. The seas were highly confused with no clear direction for the swell … a real washing machine. By 17:00 the wind had backed to 160 so the boat was not heeled over as much and the waves were no longer on the beam, making the ride more comfortable. Sunset should be about 18:24. It was indeed at 18:24 and I just downloaded fresh AIS data. I will be dealing with a half dozen commercial vessels tonight. The first is the tanker Torm Solutions 16 nm behind me. It looks like it will pass 5 nm S of me in a couple of hours. There is the cargo ship Navios Altair 35 nm in front of me that should pass well S of me about the same time. I am most concerned about the cargo ship Samoa that is 60 nm in front of me and appears to be on a collision course. It is traveling twice the speed I am so we should meet in 3.5h in about 20 nm. After sunset, the wind speed dropped to 16, backed to 140, and the boat speed fell to 5.5. At 19:50 I radioed Navios Altair as it was 12 nm out and on a collision course with me. I confirmed they could see me on AIS. What concerned me was they would have to pass between me and Torm Solutions as the three of us would be passing at the same time. Navios Altair changed its course by 2 degrees thereby opening up the closest contact from a few hundred yards to 1 nm. For a 1000’ cargo ship, that is still only 6 boat lengths. Both boats passed at 20:30. To determine if I could get some sleep, I downloaded fresh AIS data at 20:50. It now appears Samoa will pass N of me in 1h. There are three vessels remaining that are of concern. The tanker Front Maine and the cargo ship Coral Halo are both about 70 nm away (about 3.5h) and cargo ship Astraea SB is about 100 nm away (maybe 6h). Samoa passed 5 nm N at 22:00. Front Maine passed 5 nm S at 1:00. At 2:00 I was only making 3.5 kt on against a current in 14 kt wind. I had a 2.5h window to get some sleep between traffic and woke at 5:00 to find the cargo ship Pacific Harvest about 1h behind me. It should pass a few nm to the N. I am still running against a 1.1 kt current, which is slowing me down to less than 4 kt. Sunrise should be about 5:54. The sky is clear and the sea has settled down. The sea is still complex with large long-period swell from the S and smaller wind-driven waves from the SE, but it is not uncomfortable. The distance sailed towards RBay1 in the last 24h was 508-400=108 nm (more than expected given the confusion of the convergence line and the strong countercurrent all night). I put a fishing line out with a small lure … don’t want to hook one of those large billfish. Tomorrow night I will be sailing through a fleet of about 50 fishing boats, so I imagine the waters are rich in the current that flows S along Madagascar. The total distance sailed was 14305-14193=112 nm (97/24=4.04 kt avg.). Looking at the forecast, I am guessing I am 3.5d from RBay1.

Current Position: 23 05.087’S 55 45.540’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 3.7; COG: 270; TWS: 11 kt; TWD: 40; P (12:00): 1019.0; P (18:00): 1019.7; P (24:00): 1020.4; P (6:00 ): 1020.1; Distance to Waypoint (26s47s, 271): 508; Total Miles Sailed: 14193 nm; Engine Hours: 270; Estimate Fuel: 48+13+50;
Comments: it is 6:40 and I am in the NW quadrant of the high, so the wind is blowing from 70 and continues to back. It has been quite a while since I have been on a starboard tack. It is a beautiful day for sailing … partly cloudy, relatively calm seas, and steady 18 kt winds in a broad reach. So far, I am very happy with my new sail configuration. The storm staysail is much stiffer than the original staysail and it tends not to flag as much in rolling seas. One issue is where to run the sheets. Normally, I thread the sheet between the forward lower shroud and the upper shroud. While this works well when the wind is relatively light, it prevents me from really flattening the sail during storm conditions. I believe it would be best to run both sheets inside the shrouds. Perhaps in pending conditions I could run the lazy sheet inside to be ready to use it that way. I have not had a single fish/squid on the deck the past three days. I have only seen a handful of flying fish and no birds since leaving Rodrigues. By 13:00 the wind was blowing 15 from 55. The cargo ship Belhawk passed 5 nm S of me at 15:00. This appears to be the last for a while. I expect to encounter a convergence zone tomorrow morning with an abrupt shift in wind direction from the NNE to S (initially), then SE. The wind speed should build more slowly from single-digits late morning to 20 with 25 kt gusts late afternoon/evening. It may be n cessation to put a second reef in, but by tomorrow night it should be possible to shake it out again. The seas are likely to be complex as the waves are currently coming from the NNE. It is 17:00, the wind is blowing 8 from 35, and the boat is making 3.5. Sunset was approximately 18:16. Sunrise should be about 5:45. The boat moved along at 2.5-4 kt all night (avg. 3.4), sometimes with a current and sometimes against, in 8-10 kt wind from approximately 20-40. A dozen ships passed, most more than 10 nm away until Peaceful Seas, which passed about 5 nm N of me right after sunrise. I downloaded GRIB/AIS data at 5:30. The wind will shift to the S midmorning and build back into the 20s by noon. At this point I do not believe it will be necessary to put the second reef in. This will be a good morning to cook due to the calm and tge fact I am on my last portion of the food I prepared Tuesday morning. Sunrise was at 5:44 and I am about 100 nm due S of Reunion and almost halfway to RBay1. Dark clouds are beginning to appear to the SW. I will try to cook before the wind picks up again. The distance sailed towards RBay1 in the last 24h was 602-508=94 nm (more than expected). The total distance sailed was 14193-14096=97 nm (97/24=4.04 kt avg.).

Current Position: 22 48.383’S 57 28.640’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 5.1 kt (against 1.3 kt current); COG: 280; TWS: 20 kt; TWD: 81; P (12:00): 1018.9; P (18:00): 1017.7; P (24:00): 1019.3; P (6:00 ): 1019.4; Distance to Waypoint (26s47s, 271): 602; Total Miles Sailed: 14096 nm; Engine Hours: 270; Estimate Fuel: 48+13+50;
Comments: It is 6:30, the wind is blowing pretty steady in the low-mid 20s, and I am about to be hit by the second rainstorm since daybreak. The shower produced the first sail-through rainbow in a while. A third wave of rain hit at 8:30 … all low-energy showers with no increase in wind. It seems that this will be the pattern for a while … showers every hour or so. At 11:00, the tanker Princess Vanya passed 19 nm N of me. At 13:00 the wind had backed to 100 (forcing me into a deep broad reach) and dropped to 12 kt, so I shook out the second reef (to go with was now a flat storm staysail and 80% of the Yankee) to make 5 kt with a cross current. PW has me loosing 1 degree S (65 nm). The skies started to clear up a bit about 15:00. The cargo ship Mol Experience passed 3 nm S of me at 16:30. Sunrise is at 5:14 at the Rodrigues (63.5e), at my expected location (57.25e) it should be about 25m later, 5:39. It is midnight and the wind is blowing 18 from 92. I downloaded GRIB/AIS data. There are no more threatening vessels tonight as I remain on a port tack until dawn, when I will tack starboard. The wind will continue to back as the high passes S of me until I am nearly becalmed in 24h for a period of 12h until Saturday afternoon. This has been expected for several days. Sailing southward has prevented what might have been a longer period without wind. At this point Saturday afternoon I will be about 500 nm from RBay1, which I expect to reach Thursday without further interruption. Note that I am currently about 100 nm due S of Mauritius (as if I were one day out from sailing from there to RBay1). By 4:00, the wind had backed to 80 as predicted. It was expected to continue to back until blowing due N. I tacked at 5:30. Sunrise was at 5:37. The distance sailed towards RBay1 in the last 24h was 719-602=117 nm. The total distance sailed was 14096-13958=138 nm (138/24=5.75 kt avg.).

Current Position: 21 25.998’S 59 07.405’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 7.1 kt; COG: 277; TWS: 24 kt; TWD: 135; P (12:00): 1017.7; P (18:00): 1017.1; P (24:00): 1019.0; P (6:00 ): 1018.2; Distance to Waypoint (26s47s, 265): 719; Total Miles Sailed: 13958 nm; Engine Hours: 269; Estimate Fuel: 48+14+50;
Comments: I am going to get in the habit of recording the barometer pressure periodically. As a rule of thumb, a 6mb drop in 3h indicates Force 6 (gale 35-45 kt) winds, while 8mb indicate Force 8 (storm 55-65 kt). One of the reasons I am flying the storm staysail is because it is my intention to completely furl the Yankee in gale conditions and drop and lash the main if the winds exceed 40. It is 8:00 and fortunately I don’t see a lot of commercial traffic on my course for the next 24h after the tanker that is 16 nm N of me. I slept for 90m, waking up at 9:30 to find the wind had backed to 150. I sat outside for 30m and during that time there were no gusts and the wind blew steady at 15. The sea was remarkably calm … almost no swell and just a little chop. The strong 1 kt current was not coming from almost due S, hitting me on the beam. I will say the PW forecast was completely different in terms of wind speed and direction. The cargo ship Maersk Laberinto passed 10 nm N about 16:00. I saw it on the last AIS map was not expecting it so soon. It was traveling 19 kt, almost twice the speed of most cargo ships. Sunset is at 17:47 at the Rodrigues (63.5e), at my current location (60.25e) it should be about 13m later, 18:00. Sunset was at 18:01. The cargo ship Haoyue passed 12 nm N of me about 22:00. I expect two more in 1-2h. The first, the Polaris Highway, passed 4 nm S at 22:40. I never saw the second one. By midnight the wind had fallen to 12 kt and backed to 140, reducing the boat speed to 5.5 kt and making it difficult not to drift S of the rhumb line. Sunrise is at 5:15 at the Rodrigues (63.5e), at my current location (59.25e) it should be about 17m later, 5:32. I woke up at 5:00 to fairly heavy rain. The distance sailed towards RBay1 in the last 24h was 855-719=136 nm. The total distance sailed was 13958-13813=145 nm (145/24=6.04 kt avg.). I am pleased with the progress so far.

Current Position: 20 26.742’S 61 18.4957’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 6.1 kt; COG: 260; TWS: 15 kt; TWD: 158; Distance to Waypoint (26s47s, 261): 855; Total Miles Sailed: 13813 nm; Engine Hours: 269; Estimate Fuel: 48+14+50;
Comments: It is a little after noon. One thing that is going to make this passage challenging is the enormous amount of commercial traffic. Everyone takes the same route around the southern edge of Madagascar. The first, a cargo ship named Dorado, passed 10 nm N or me at 13:20. Jacob in Bib is about 25 nm ahead of me, consistent with the 5h head start he had. It is 13:30 and I have just waken up from a brief nap. While enjoying a tomato sandwich in the cockpit, I noticed high-altitude, wispy (mares’ tail) invading the sky from the W. The surface wind is from the SSE. A depression is certainly approaching. It is probably the fast-moving low pressure system Des wrote about two days ago. I figure it will pass in a couple of days, followed by a vacuum, and probably a sheer line as the next system sets up (just like what happened as I approached Rodrigues). I noticed the cloud systems were becoming more complex as I approached Rodrigues, leaving the trade winds I have enjoyed most of the time since my departure seven months ago. Bottom line, the wind direction and speed are likely to be very fluxional the next week. Des has suggested I post my check-ins earlier in the morning so I may make best use of his recommendations, so I will start posting approximately 1h after sunrise. This will give me a chance to see the sky/sea conditions before posting. Sunrise is at 5:17 at the Rodrigues (63.5e), at my expected location in the morning (61.5e) it should be about 8m later, 5:24, so I will post at 6:30. A second cargo ship (Messinian Spire) passed 12 nm N of me at 16:10. Sunset is at 17:47 at the Rodrigues (63.5e), at my current location (62.75e) it should be about 3m later, 17:50. Sunset was indeed at 17:50. I was waiting to sleep for a tanker to show up. At 21:00 I downloaded long-range AIS data that showed it had changed course and was going to pass way N of me, so I set an alarm for 1h intervals and went to sleep. At 2:00 I downloaded a new GRIB and (most importantly) AIS data. There does not appear to be anymore commercial traffic tonight. The forecast has changed a bit. I adjusted the windvane because the wind veered to 165. I am averaging 6.7 kt. I woke up just before 5:00. After several adjustments over the night, the boat had been doing a pretty good job tracking the rhumb line for the past 20 nm, averaging 6.2 kt. The wind has decreased to 13 and is still from 160 (why the boat is still tracing). The boat speed is down to 5, but the SOG is still over 6 with the help of a 1.1 kt current. I am on track from a 140 nm 24h period since hauling anchor at 8:00 yesterday, which is not bad as the first 3-4 lh were pretty slow as I motored out of the bay, rounded up to raise the sails, and worked my way out if the shadow of the island. A high continues to move E about 650 nm S of me, rotating the wind counterclockwise, as highs do in the southern hemisphere. Consequently, I expect the wind to back during the day, moving me further from a far reach and closer to a broad. I am not too worried about being driven S as the wind should eventually be from the NE, allowing me to tack and reestablish the rhumb line. The sun was behind a cloud bank on the horizon when it rose, but appeared to be when expected. The sunrise was spectacular … the sun is getting more orange as I move to lower latitudes.

Current Position: 19 43.972’S 63 05.977’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 6.3 kt; COG: 267; TWS: 20 kt; TWD: 155; Distance to Waypoint (26s47s, 261): 965; Total Miles Sailed: 13692 nm; Engine Hours: 269; Estimate Fuel: 48+14+50;
Comments: The cargo ship left at 16:00. Jacob joined Christian and me in the bay as all three of us are leaving in the morning. Ertan decided to remain at the port overnight. I woke up at 3:10 and saw Jacob in the distance. A catamaran had arrived in the night. Since I did not have to wait for Ertan, I got up at 4:00 and began making final preparations to leave. The wind had died down overnight and the boat was not rocking as severely, making it easier to work. I started cooking a dish of sausage and vegetables, then I helped Christian get off, at 5. It was light enough now to ready the deck and do a final check of the rigging. I was underway by 9:30. I have three waypoints for this passage: RBay 1 (26s, 47e), RBay 2 (26s, 34e), and RBay 3 (28 48.63’s, 32 06.08’e). RBay 2 is 984 nm away from Rodrigues on a course of 261 M. It is at the SW tip of Madagascar just S of its shoals. After making the first waypoint, I will travel due W towards the second waypoint (but not necessarily all the way). I created two waypoints for places to wait out storms, St Augustine Bay – Nosy Ve (Augustine, 23°38S 43°36E) and Inhaca Island off Maputo (Inhaca, 25°38.346’S 32°52.898’E). The final preparation of the deck was finished at 6:00. I cleared the rats nest of fishing lures, clothes, and random items from beneath the dodger so I could be ready to handle the sheets for the storm staysail. I deployed the staysail and lashed to the railing figuring that would be easier to do at anchor. I raised the anchor at 8:00 and by 9:00 I was outside the barrier reef and halfway across the N side of the island. I was doing a little over 5 kt on a broad reach using half the Yankee, the storm staysail, and a double-reefed main on a course of 282!in 18 kt wind from 144. Once I clear the island, I will be able to set a course of 261 (the rhumb line to RBay 1). Trekka followed me out of the bay and gained on me while I was raising my sails. We will part company when I clear the island as my course will be 20 degrees further S. By 10:00 I was clear of the island and on a course for the waypoint a 261. Wind was 17-20 from 148 and I was making close to 6 kt in a broad reach. By 11:00 I had cleared the shadow of the island and was making close to 7 kt in 19 kt wind with the help of a 0.9 kt current. It feels good to be back at sea. Sailing conditions are almost ideal.

Current Position: 19 40.115’S 63 25.857’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 0 kt; COG: N/A; TWS: ? kt; TWD: ?; Distance to Waypoint (Rodrigues): At Anchor; Total Miles Sailed: 13671 nm; Engine Hours: 265; Estimate Fuel: 49+15+50;
Comments: I slept on and off all day. By evening I was feeling much better … no headache or feverish symptoms. I got most of the stuff put away on the boat. I will go to shore in the morning and take care of last-minute chores (schedule outgoing meeting, bakery, market, fill water jugs, etc.). I will also get a good meal. I will spend the afternoon cooking for the passage. At practical the same time, just before dusk, the cruise ship left, another sailboat arrived at Rodrigues, and a 5.80 boats (Adam on Little Wren) left the port and rafted to me overnight (because he is leaving early in the morning). I went to sleep about 19:30, woke up for about an hour at 1:30, then got up about 5:30, so I got 9h sleep. I feel pretty well and will continue with my plan today to get ready to leave tomorrow. I readied the cabin then at 8:00 went to the dinghy to put some anti-seizing compound on the motor and to my horror I saw the water vane floating behind the boat, tethered by only a thin cord that is used to unlatch and raise it. The bolt/pin that secures it to the Monitor had failed. I first checked to see if the 10mm threaded rod would fit, but it was too large. Having just put everything away, I had to go through all my supplies to find a 3” SS bolt that I could use to fix it. It was repaired by 9:15. By 9:45 I was ashore. I tried to check out but was told to come back at 13:00. I went to the store for a few items, to the bakery, and finally the open air market. I went to lunch with a couple of the 5.80 racers, then took one of them to their boat to pick up paperwork before we went to get out outgoing paperwork about 13:15. There were a half dozen people waiting to do the same, so it too until about 14:30 to get my Zarpe and retrieve my speargun. They told us we could not return to land, so we left immediately, returning to our boats by 15:00. It took about a half hour for me to bring the outboard and RIB aboard in 18 kt winds with 25 kt gusts. I have will have two 5.80 boats rafted to me by the end of the day, Christian on Argo and Ertan on Trekka. Christian leaves at 5:00 and Ertan at 9:00. I will get the boat completely ready to go this afternoon, and after I help launch Christian at 5:00, I will cook meals for the passage before launching Ertan and leaving myself.

Current Position: 19 40.115’S 63 25.857’E; Local Timezone: UTC+4; SOG: 0 kt; COG: N/A; TWS: ? kt; TWD: ?; Distance to Waypoint (Rodrigues): At Anchor; Total Miles Sailed: 13671 nm; Engine Hours: 265; Estimate Fuel: 50+14+50;
Comments: I didn’t wake up until 5:00 (after 15h of sleep). I scrambled a couple of eggs and went back to sleep for 2h. I was supposed to be spending the day preparing for the passage, but will be resting instead. If I feel well in the morning I will schedule a meeting with Immigration and Customs on Tuesday morning to check out.