Day 168 – Baking
Where Next?
Bob Williams
Mon 30 May 2022 07:18
Course: SE Speed: 5 knots
Wind: ENE Force 4
Sea: slight Swell: ESE 3 m
Weather: overcast, mild
Day’s Run: 115 nm
At last the winds have eased and backed into the ENE allowing us to make
some easting. Our next waypoint now bears 130° at 90 miles. If the forecast
holds good we should round it sometime tomorrow forenoon and then be on our
final leg of the voyage. The next leg is a distance of 2,500 miles taking us
south of Cape Leeuwin, across the Great Australian Bight, then through
Investigator Strait and up St Vincent Gulf back to where we started from,
Adelaide.
Of course we expect to sail quite a bit further than the direct route of
2,500 miles. For a start we still need to make considerable ground to the
south, I figure down to at least 35°S, to pick up some reasonably reliable W’ly
winds. On the other hand, given that it is winter, we will want to balance
the need for W’ly winds with the increasing probability of severe gales the
further south we go. I will be watching the weather faxes and
reading the Ineffable's forecasts closely to try and find an optimal path.
For now, however, we are enjoying quite a pleasant sail. We are under full
jib and one reef in the mainsail. We were under full sail for a short while
this morning but no sooner had I shaken the reefs out of the main then the
wind picked back up again from force three to four. A significant swell is
still running from the ESE but the seas have largely abated, and while we
are just shy of close hauled on the starboard tack and therefore heeling
quite a bit, the motion is relatively comfortable ….
And as I write the wind has picked up and I have just been on deck to roll
up some jib. Conditions have become somewhat squally in the last hour or so.
Anyway, I will give up on speculating what the wind will do. What I was
trying to say was that conditions this forenoon were pleasant enough to do a
bit of baking. I have baked a loaf of bread as well as some fudge from a
packet that has been lying about since New Zealand. Not sure how the fudge
is going to turn out as I had to use egg replacer and ghee in lieu of
butter. I will let you know tomorrow.
All is well.