Not quite going backwards

Caramor - sailing around the world
Franco Ferrero / Kath Mcnulty
Thu 31 Oct 2019 18:46
28:18.4S 176:27.1E

Our 24h near gale saw us sail 84 miles, but only 15 towards New Zealand. I’ve had stern words with Caramor and Aries and they are both trying harder tonight.

We enjoyed avian company throughout the afternoon, shearwaters and storm petrels, always on their own, riding the waves and updraughts. I wonder if they nest on the Kergulen Islands, the nearest landmass.

The winds are looking determinedly southerly for the next few days so we will have to tack all the way to New Zealand - ETA? Ahah, I’m not even going to guess. You know that old Jewish joke: “How do you make God laugh? You tell him your plans.”

I had a very uncomfortable ‘night’, the wind had died down but the seas hadn’t and Caramor was leaping off waves, still I must have slept as I have a vague recollection of a dream about Fiji entry requirements which involved dashing to the office between waves, saying a magic word and waiting for the paperwork to be spat out by the next surf surge.

David is the lucky one, the sea is flatter, the wind lighter and we’ve tacked so the bunk is to leeward (meaning he’s not falling out).