11/07/2007, En Route from Fiji to New Zealand
We were under power all last night because of very light winds but were able to sail during the day. The wind has not been over 10 knots so the going has been slow. I am trying to preserve fuel in case we have head winds and need to run the engine as we get closer to New Zealand. The noon-to-noon distance for today was 116 miles for an average speed of 4.8 kts.
This afternoon I heard a "whoosh" but saw nothing immediately. A few minutes later a whale of unknown species surfaced twice behind the boat and then disappeared. My crew, Uri, was quite anxious to snap a photo but he was not quick enough. It was the first whale he had ever seen.
All else is well onboard. We have been dragging a flying fish behind the boat as bait but there are no takers.
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Comments [1]
11/06/2007, En Route from Fiji to New Zealand
At 9:00 AM this morning the wind died after blowing hard all night. We have been motoring at 4.7 knots ever since. Nevertheless, our noon-to-noon distance for today was 138 miles for an average speed of 5.8 kts, the same as yesterday. The forecast calls for more wind tomorrow so I am hopeful we will be able to hoist the sails and turn off the engine. This afternoon we crossed the halfway mark and celebrated with a cold beer. With the engine running there is plenty of juice to run the refrigeration and watermaker.
All else is well onboard.
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11/05/2007, En Route from Fiji to New Zealand
"Hard on the wind", "beating to weather", "bashing to windward". They all mean the same thing - sailing as close as possible to the wind. This usually entails crashing into waves and taking green water over the bow while making little progress toward one's destination. Tradewind sailing in the tropics generally means downwind sleigh rides and that is mostly what I have experienced for the past seven months. True gentlemen avoid sailing to windward, but sometimes it is necessary, as in the passage to New Zealand. Fortunately for us, the wind has been moderate, the seas calm and the course somewhat less than hard on the wind. The sailing has been very comfortable and fast.
The noon-to-noon distance for today was 140 miles for an average speed of 5.8 knots. We have covered 387 miles out of an 1100 mile passage so we are a little better than 1/3 rd of the way there. The weather forecast is good for the next three days. After that we may see heavy winds "on the nose" for a couple of days before making landfall. Most of the talk on the radio nets is about weather and there is a lot of talk. My guess is there are at least 50 boats now making the passage from the tropics to New Zealand and each one has an opinion and a strategy. I listen to the seasoned Kiwis who make this trip twice a year, year after year. The Kiwis, however, are no strangers to brutal weather and tough conditions. They are a hardy bunch.
All else is well onboard. No fish today.
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11/04/2007, En Route from Fiji to New Zealand
The wind speed has picked up so that we are now sailing with both sails reefed and we are making 6.5 knots in 16 kts of wind from the east-southeast. The noon-to-noon distance for today is a respectable 128 miles for an average speed of 5.3 kts. The sailing is close to the wind so the boat is heeled 15 degrees but is not rolling as it would going downwind. The forecast calls for lighter winds tomorrow and Tuesday so we are "making hay while the sun shines".
All else is well onboard. The tuna has been eaten so we are again dragging lures.
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11/03/2007, En Route from Fiji to New Zealand
The wind has been light most of the past 24 hours requiring running the engine to make any progress, but in the past two hours we have been able to sail at 5 knots. The swell is low with a long period so the boat movement is comfortable. The forecast calls for more of the same conditions. The noon-to-noon distance for today was 100 miles for an average speed of 4.2 kts. We are not setting any records but we will eventually get there.
This afternoon we sailed through an area of floating volcanic pumice, probably from an underwater eruption which is known to happen in this part of the world. Quite interesting! There were quite a few fish jumping in the affected area and we managed to land a small skipjack tuna, not my favorite, but fresh food for dinner.
All else is well onboard.
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11/02/2007, En Route from Fiji to New Zealand
Sand Dollar passed through the barrier reef at Navula Passage around noon today to leave the waters of Fiji until, perhaps, next season. I have enjoyed this island group as much as any other in the South Pacific. The scenery is beautiful, the diving superb, everyone speaks English, and the people are truly wonderful. I can see why the Kiwis come here year after year.
The wind was light and variable today so we made only modest progress toward the port of Opua, NZ. The trip is about 1100 miles and will take anywhere from 9 - 15 days, depending on the wind speed and direction. There are currently at least 12 boats that started the passage in the past two days. Most of us keep in touch on the single sideband radio. Although this can be a challenging passage, the weather outlook is favorable and we receive updates daily. Of course, we are planning a big party when we finally make landfall.
All else is well onboard except that I hooked and lost a huge fish that broke the 50 lb test line. I am guessing it was an 80 lb tuna.
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