42:34S 147.57E
Around the world with the Aqualunies
Jonathan & Gabrielle Lyne
Sun 20 Feb 2011 23:49
We have been here sheltering since yesterday afternoon from gale force winds. We had gusts of up to 46 knots as we came up from Port Arthur and it was a little wet as we shipped some breaking waves. The upside was that the sun was still out so it was not too bad just had the occasional rain squall.
The weather forecast is for the winds to abate a bit coming down to a nice 20 -25 knots from the SW so we should have a good run across the Straights to Eden in the South East of Australia.
We have had some horrible news. The yacht 'Quest' which was with the Blue Water rally from Thailand to India, but decided to leave the rally in India and make its own way across the the Arabian Sea to the Red Sea has been taken by pirates, we never met the owners or have seen the yacht but some good friends we made on the rally whilst they were crewing on other friend's yachts were also on board the Quest so have also been taken by the Pirates. The owners of the yacht had tons of Bibles on board and were handing them out to remote villages as they sailed around the World, just crazy although the Somalies are not so interested in that we just hope the Islamic fanatics don't get hold of them. Meanwhile we are just praying that Bob and Phyllis who were crewing for them have both the physical and mental strength to get through all this. They are both such lovely people in their own way and just enjoying the gypsy life crewing for various yacht owners both of them are in their 60s. and from the States.
All for now from a cold Tasmania.