Day Fourteen - Pleasant Sailing
Where Next?
Bob Williams
Tue 28 Dec 2021 01:35
Course: ESE Speed: 6.5 knots
Wind: W, F4 Sea: moderate
Swell: SW, 3 meters
Weather: partly cloudy, cool
Day's Run: 156 nm
We continue to make good progress in relatively pleasant conditions, averaging 6.5 knots over the last three days and steadily closing Coconut who is now about 600 nm ahead. We beam reached for most of yesterday to a moderate SW breeze, then at midnight poled the jib out to starboard as the wind veered into the west. Wayne's excellent forecasting service has the wind backing back into the SW later this afternoon so we will likely be dropping the pole and reaching again soon.
The Boxing Day Test Match has provided the crew with some entertainment over the AM radio band over the last couple of days, first from ABC Australia and then from a New Zealand station. I am not an avid follower of cricket but do find the background patter of a test match commentary on the radio quite relaxing. Unfortunately the collapse of the English batting order has meant an early end to this pleasant diversion.
We expect to be rounding the bottom of New Zealand tomorrow afternoon.
All is well.