Turning for New Zealand
26 October 2019 | West of Norfolk Island
Stephen
Our Position: 26.47S, 169.21E
A quieter day on the board after some of the challenges of getting the backstay etc resolved. We are now motoring in the High Pressure zone that bridges the Tropics and the temperate latitudes. This means that we are experiencing light winds. Whilst Grace likes the lights airs (actually
we all do) it has meant that we had to turn the engine on at 0200 this morning and have been running it pretty much ever since. The good news is that we reckon we have got enough fuel to motor all the way to NZ if necessary.
Our Weather router has just told us that we can now head direct for N end of NZ (Cape Reinga) and so that means our distance to run is now just under 600Nm - less than a Fastnet race. W ewill struggle to do that as what little winds there are are coming straight from the SE - exactly
where we are trying to go. That means progress will be slow and noisy. The weather router is also suggesting that we are unlikely to confront anything more than 20kn of wind now.
All is well on the boat - but getting decidedly chillier. even in the day time in full sunshine it is better to wear long trousers. At night Grace is wearing her wooly skiing hat. All of us in oilskins overnight.