Possession Island, QLD > Darwin, NT: Day 3 (2015-07-11 - 01:30 UTC - 10:52.2S 134:02.9E) - DTF 249 nm
Started with fresh winds up to 26kn into the night, around midnight the wind came down to some 15kn. For safety we had one reef in the main during the night, which we took out in the morning. Relaxed sail thus far, but winds of up to 25kn (probably around 30kn in reality) are forecasted for tonight and all day tomorrow. Will probably anchor off Cape Don in the early morning of 13/7, have a good rest and leave around 01.00 local time on 14/7 to catch the favourable tide into Van Diemen Gulf and at the same time benefit from the forecasted lighter winds, when sailing close hauled into the Gulf. Dropped our first winch handle overboard in 6 years sailing. Not a bad track record, still a few spares left, but nonetheless a pity. Also silly, as I left it on the SB genoa winch after I had used it to trim the genoa. Normally this is done electrically, but that always makes a bit more noise and I did not want to wake up Daph. When I was trying to make a short clip of the setting sun in the hope to capture the “green flash” I tried to keep my balance by gripping the winch, accidentally tripping the safety latch on the winch handle and that was the end of it. With one short bump on the deck it jumped overboard. |