Day 2 - In It

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Wed 11 Dec 2013 13:30
  24:49.21S
178:19.62W
 
 
Day Two of Our Journey to New Zealand – In the Thick of It
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Tuesday the 10th of December: We had a good afternoon and I did finally get a win at backgammon after losing three on the trot, I do seek a buffer at this time of year you know......Mmmmm. I took a few bob off Bear in Rummikub and a win at Upword – but I got trounced at Sequence. Oh well.
 
We knew before we left Tonga, that during the later part of day two, we were due a low pressure system with winds around twenty eight knots, gusts predicted to thirty four. The reckoning behind leaving when we did, was that as soon as we had gone through the grotty bit, things would be pleasant for the rest of the journey or you wait and wait. This journey always has a patch of grotty weather, so once out, get on with it.
No sooner than Bear had gone to bed at two than the heavens opened and the wind ‘did as it said on the tin’. The sea was not unkind and by the time Bear came on at six, things had settled into solid rain, grey skies and Beez trotting along at quite a lick. Goodnight Sweetheart.
 
 
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Wednesday the 11th of December: I came up at ten to find the rain had worked its way through the zip above where I sit – no problem – out came a brolly, problem solved.
 
 
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Things deteriorated a touch and Bear did quite a bit of hand steering, always a cheery smile, though.
 
 
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Outside the sea got rougher.
 
 
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I missed the one gust of 50.1, only snapping 43.0. Likewise, I missed the new World Record for Beez Neez at a speed of eleven knots for one second (previous best 10.6). I did manage to snap her happily shifting along at 10.4 though. Our twenty four hour run saw Beez complete 156.3 nautical miles, bringing our total covered to 292. Despite conditions, we enjoyed sweet and sour chicken and rice for lunch.
 
 
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Dare I say that, at the time of typing this (14:30) things have settled to a kinder sea – although still pretty big, is that a tiny bit of blue......, ever the optimist, winds around twenty eight knots and Beez averaging around eight knots, rain very heavy. I don’t mind admitting that when this weather passes, I won’t mind a bit if the sun comes out, the wind drops to nothing and we end up motor sailing the rest of the way.
All well aboard, although our afternoon games may or may not happen, I’ll let you know tomorrow.
 
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL TESTING TIMES BUT PREDICTED
                         CHALLENGING SAIL AS EXPECTED
 
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