Boring is good
14 November 2014 | Between Vanuatu and PNG
Colin Dykstra
November 14, 2014 enroute from Vanuatu (Espiritu Santo) to PNG (by way of the Luisiades) Day 2 ====================A boring passage is a good passage! So far, it�'s been pretty uneventful. We continue to be under the influence of late season SE trades �-- with the wind at steady 20-25 knots from the SE. The seas have been building and the wind waves are consistently at 2+ meters. Segue loves these conditions and is happily knocking the miles off at a steady 10-11 knots with frequent surfs in the mid teens.
Only 10-11 knots? Yep. The wind is well aft of the beam (the autopilot is set to 125 apparent. We�'re also HEAVY at the moment. With the 400 litters of fuel we took on in Luganville, plus absolutely stuffed fridges and freezers, added to which are countless trade goods, we�'re a good 2 tonnes over our ideal cruising weight. It�'s REALLY noticeable. That said, we�'ll eat well, trade well when we get to PNG and indo and have fun!
Back to the boring part. My definition of a great passage is one that is truly boring. Boring means keeping a really good eye on the weather. Right now, the forecast indicates that the current trades will stay with us for at least another 24 hours. After that, there is a trough off of the SPCZ forecast to influence us. If we remain right on the rhumb line we�'ll run right into this stuff. Lots of precipitation, a bit of light rotation, and winds up into the 30s. If, however, we stay south of the rhumb line we should miss this all together. So, that exactly what we�'ll do �-- sail a little extra distance, but avoid potential drama. Boring is GOOD!