Moon light and Reefs

CARANGO AMEL 54 #035
PETER and VICKY FORBES
Sat 23 Jul 2016 03:23
Many of the places we have sailed were last effectively surveyed by th British Admiralty in 1857 by deadline. No more recent surveys exit in some areas. Now I suppose th eleadline is a good system for survey but this can miss individual coral heads which can be amazingly solid and exist just below waterline level representing huge danger to ships and silting vessels alike.

We have just at 5.30 am this morning, by the light of the waning moon sailed past a series of reefs just north of New Caledonia - these reefs are called the Entrecasteaux. We passed North abeam and were pleased to have cleared one of the last hurdles before the challenge of transmitting the great Barrier reef. We have chosen the ‘Hydrographers Passage’ to transit the Great Barrier Reef and we are warned there are currents of 6 - 8 knots in the reef.

Last night a bird, A Booby in fact, perched on the dinghy as an illegal hitch hiker but we carried him through the night in peace and he went off hunting and fishing this morning.  We have a beautiful full moon for these next few days slowly waning which makes for very nice bright nights and good sailing. We are not fishing yet as we still have Tuna in the freezer.
 Vicky and her brother Peter in control on Carango
 The Germans on fellow yacht ‘Toujours Belle’ flying their parasailor.