21: 07.6 S

175: 09.7 W

Distance last 24 hours:             0     nm

Distance since Nuku’alofa:       0     nm 

Distance still to go:                1124    nm                                                 (All distances are in nautical miles:  1nm = 1.8km)

Well since my last post, the waiting game is still occupying us, but it hasn’t exactly been boring! 

Firstly the edges of the weather front that aborted our leaving plans came through Nuku’alofa, changing wind directions and bringing 30+ knot winds, which vindicated our decision to move off anchor and into port.  Even in the protection behind the breakwaters we were rocked around a bit, and with the 1.3 metre tide changes we took turns at waking up in the middle of the night to adjust the fenders. This was all worth it, as in exchange we got a ‘city’ experience: Quite a few pubs and restaurants around the port area, so we enjoyed the new choices, and mingling with the locals.

I find it something special to now and again to be able to dip in and out of city life, and then retire to the comfort of ‘Allone’, yet still being connected to the music and buzz of the night around us....... This is what we have had for 4 nights. Anyway the windy conditions have passed, and we have moved back to the tranquillity of our old anchorage at Big Mammas. Just had a wonderful tuna steak dinner, complete with coconuts and Pastis, all prepared on board as the sunset on a beautiful evening. All signs that the time to go is not far away now. My weather files show us probably leaving on Friday now, but more below.

The second distraction from the waiting boredom, came in the form of a painful, re-learning of a age old lesson.  The well known lesson, that “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it”. A long story, not for this blog, and if you are not sailing inclined, just skip the ‘short’ summary below:

In essence, two days ago while pondering the risks of the passage ahead, I decided to replace the 8+ year old autopilot drive, a mission critical piece of equipment, with a new one I  organised from New Zealand. There was nothing wrong with the old one, but the new one seemed an obviously, better, lower risk choice. Not the easiest job to do, mainly as it involves working almost upside down, in a very confined space, that only a master contortionist would find a fun challenge . Then once in this upside down prison, being able to get my arm and hands into another very small, ‘the ultimate’, manual dexterity challenge’, box structure, wherein 4 bolts that can barely be felt, but not be seen, await loosen and removal of the locking nuts.  Thereafter the electrical side needs to be disconnected and then reconnected to the new unit. Each step needing to be done with care and thought, so as to ensure this mission critical unit operates through all the conditions we will ever face together! Well having done it once before, I managed the drive replacement in three intense hours. Testing the installation at each sub stage, by the time I had it all together, I did a thorough test, and it all operations were perfect. I felt so happy, and then proceeded to tie up all the cables, and do the final tightening up. Having finished that it was lunch time, and Ruth had found this local joint and suggested we went there. I thought that a great idea to celebrate the earlier than expected, completion of my job. I asked her to help me do one final test, which I almost felt was me sharing with her that is was all working to spec again.  Well to my utter dismay, the steering wheel was now locked without the autopilot being engaged, and I wouldn’t be able to steer the boat manually...!!! My happiness, now turned to denial, and then total disillusionment, but we decided to still go have lunch, not to celebrate as planned, but now to create some problem solving thinking space. Anyway, a long story, but I was forced to reverse the new drive installation and settle for the old drive, which I knew worked. Another three, contortionist dream hours later, I was back to where I started...well I thought I was? Come to test and now the old one is also suffering from the same ‘frozen wheel’ syndrome. I designed a few tests, but no produced answers to the problem. By now I was totally devastated and in a deep low spot. Visions of having to leave the boat in Tonga for the cyclone season, etc..... I slept on the problem, waking with new insights and ideas, and I tracked it down to a failure in the the main controller computer. A call to Raymarine in NZ, confirmed my diagnosis, and thanks to Bill Campbell, the previous owner there was a spare computer unit on board.  The rest of the morning was spent replacing this unit, and by 2pm today, all was working 100% again, and Ruth and I had a real celebratory lunch. Man, this had been a very long. and challenging circular route,  and in the process I had ‘lost’ a day and a half, not to mention the heartache and angst it generated........ As with all these curved balls, somehow there is purpose in all of them, and this one was definitely designed to get me to really understand the whole autopilot system on the boat.... If am to step up to my future solo sailing goals, I need to know all this stuff. On my old boat I knew it all backwards.   I now feel I’m getting the same knowledge level for Allone. But hey, its not the stuff you find on Pacific Island, holiday brochures!

Amongst all this we had another Australian boat tie up alongside us, and on board were three really nice guys, who provided some great conversation in between all the autopilot struggles..... Interactions with others, always puts things in perspective!

So, back to our departure and the weather window:

It all looks very good for a Friday / Saturday departure, and so that’s what we are now planning on. The next day or so, will be about focusing the mind, and getting once again into passage mindset.

Interestingly, the one yacht that did leave the day last week we almost did, had a horrendous trip to New Zealand, just arriving yesterday. The question for me always is:  Did they have a better experience than someone who sailed and motored through 10 days of light winds and calms? I have concluded that it depends on the WHY, of why one is ‘doing’ this sailing life? There is no doubt for me that the couple that had the horrendous trip have come through with a bigger life experience, and have gained personal height, but for the hedonists and pleasure seekers, the motor sailors would have probably had more ‘fun’.....!! Ruth and I discussed this stuff, because I hate motoring, and also believe that dealing with Mother Nature’s challenges is wherein the ‘fun’ is found!!  Then again it depends on ones definition of fun hey! Ok, enough of all this thinking stuff, we will see what Mother Nature has in store for US... ! 

I sense we have a lot of fishing time, so today I’m heading back into to town to buy some ‘industrial grade’ fishing gear! Yeah, so far since Tahiti, I have not bagged one fish, but lost at last three ‘big ones’......real big ones, I think! Lures gone, as the tackle and technique I was using was clearly inappropriate. I have tracked down some more appropriate gear, and so more about this fishing journey, once out on the ocean with the new gear.... Maybe it will prove it’s just me and MY technique....haha!    

Will email you once departure is definite, and then from there on, there will only be blog postings on the mailasail webdiary, from the big blue ocean!

Cheers for now

H