Position           28:21.29S 166:55.40 E

Date                1200 (UTC +11) Friday 7 2014

Distance run    Last 24 hours 146nm over the ground, 144nm through the water

                        Distance (OG) covered from start 400nm

                        Distance to destination 560nm

                        Original distance to Opua (direct route) 890nm

A bumpy day and night was had by the whole fleet according to reports on the 0900 morning SSB net and we were no exception as we fight our way south and during the last 24 hours a little more east.  The sea is taking our port bow but the occasional rogue creeps up from a different direction and the noise down below as that slaps against the hull is designed to induce insomnia.  Having said that our longer overnight watches, typically 6 hours or more are working well for us as usual and we are both reasonably well rested.  Long watches are made possible by our cockpit arrangement which allows reading and watching videos on an iPad whilst being able to see all around outside and the instruments and chart plotter inside.

In case you think that this is staged, it is not; taken at 1030 this morning with an iPad controlled GoPro on estate agent (realtor) wide angle setting.  Outside we have 26 knots of apparent wind at 36 degrees on the port bow with a 2.5 metre swell.

Another of the Mate’s culinary masterpieces was produced from the freezer – last night’s menu was Spanish Chicken.  The use of the galley strap has revolutionised staying put and makes life much less messy, and safer.  Other news from the galley - at some stage overnight the microwave turntable made a break for freedom when the door sprung open.  Despite its best efforts at a crash landing on the floor under the chart table it survived undamaged.  Now you do not get that sort of excitement in the kitchen at home.