The Big Island!
Avalon
Tue 9 Dec 2003 05:02
 There is a pretty good chance that if you
leave Ecuador and follow the setting sun west you are going to bump into the
Pacific's biggest island.
Over 8,000 nautical miles after leaving the
fishing port of Manta, Ecuador, the lights of the fishing port of
Coff's Harbour loomed out from behind a black rain cloud.
At roughly 0500 on Thursday the 4th of
December Avalon made her first Australian landfall completing her crossing from
New Caledonia in just under 7 days.
  Windy conditions, the strong
east coast current and the excitement of viewing the south Solitary light had
made for a near sleepless night for
Ian and George who still had a big morning
ahead making Avalon somewhat ship shape to receive the officials from Customs,
Immigration and Quarantine.
That done they headed for the laundry and showers
(hot!) to remove the now caked on salt.
    The wind started from the South
and backed all the way around to the Northwest leading to 2 gybes in one
day!!
The cooking got
creative as we had to eat all the fresh, meat and dairy products or have them
removed.
After hanging on for 12,000 miles the windvane got the wobbles up with
only 300 miles to go.
To shave or not to shave?????
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