Position           10:03.67 S 125:32.59 E                              

Date                1200 (UTC+9) Sunday 18 October 2015

Distance run    in 24hrs 139nm over the ground, 119nm through the water

Trip total         2666nm over the ground, 2557nm through the water

To go to           Kupang Indonesia 145nm

The wind has definitely up stumped and retired to the pavilion.  We managed a few very pleasant hours ghosting along under the gennaker averaging 5 knots which given the light winds surprised us both.  Having no sea running makes a big difference.  We have also had a very favourable current which added 20nm to our progress.  The wind dropped at dusk and of course then the fishing boats came out to play.  The radar picks up, we think and hope, most of them at about 6-7 miles.  The closest one got to us during the hours of darkness was 1.5nm and we did have to alter course to avoid it.  It certainly keeps you on your toes.

The morning saw even less wind although we did ghost along at 1 knot for an hour which with over a knot of current gave us over 2.  The juggling with speed is now to try and avoid closing the coast of Timor in the dark.  Motoring at a slow speed is very difficult as at minimum engine revs we are making 6 knots plus current in what appears at times to be a mirror like sea.    We aim to arrive at our arrival waypoint just on dawn and it is then a further 45nm to Kupang through waters that should only be tackled in daylight due ot even more fishing boats and debris in the water.

Our arrival waypoint at K T Kaijofti and the route into Kupang on the island of Timor

Dinner was a delicious Spanish omelette eaten as on previous days in two sittings.  Mine was late, even by Spanish standards at 0300.

Slightly fuzzy because of the range and magnification – What we are trying to avoid