23:58.45S 179:46.23W

At 0945 NZ DLT (UTC+13) we left Minerva Reef to follow a passage down to NZ prepared by Bob McDavitt. This is marked on the plotter and will be our guide as to what we should expect from the wind and the course to steer. We are currently routed across the top of a high pressure system with wind from the south to start with. This evening it should go around further to the south east and we will turn more to the south west in response.

During the week low pressure is due to pass through and we have been routed around this in a clockwise direction. This will mean sailing due south much earlier than is usual on the approach to NZ before turning west and then south again for the final approach.

The wind is likely to be light for much of the time and we anticipate 3.5 days of motor sailing so its a good job we brought a couple of extra jerry cans of fuel along.

At the moment the sea is pretty lumpy and the bow is banging down off the waves. It slows the boat down and feels awful. Nevertheless we have been sailing at over 6kts 

 and are a couple of hours ahead of schedule. We will be updating the route each day with Bob. The planned route is shown by the line of red crosses below. The single red cross to the left and the blue line beneath are the usual route to NZ.