The Sea's Put the Brakes On!
02 October 2015 | En route Vava'U Tonga to Brisbane Australia
Megan
Well, the sea decided today that it does not want us to point straight to Brisbane. In fact, it insisted that we take a brief detour to the northwest. Three meter swells and 20-30 knot winds forced us to point more to the northwest to stay comfortable and safe. Luckily we're still making lots of progress to the west, so not all of this time will be lost, but we have given up 16 nautical miles back north that we had already made to the south and will have to make back again. But what's an extra 30-50 miles tacked onto a 1900 mile sail, anyway, right?
Weather maps and our router says the winds are probably peaking now at 30 knots and will start to slowly ease and clock around to the southeast on Sunday, local time. Then the swells should start to settle back down and the wind angle will be better for us to turn southwest again. It's been a little uncomfortable the last 24 hours or so, but we're making it and Scopalamine patches are amazing....also, thank goodness for freeze dried Mountanhouse meals we were saving! Just boil the water in a teapot, pour it in the pouch and voila! They've been much loved on these rolly days.