Position Update 1220 (UTC+11) Coral Sea Day 10
Vega
Hugh and Annie
Thu 27 Sep 2018 04:30
24:27.30S 152:43.93E
COG 226T
SOG 5.0kts
Wind F2 NW
Sea slight
Vis good
Baro 1024
Motorsailing
The wind died during the night and we have been motorsailing in a very light NW to ENW breeze. Late yesterday afternoon we raised the cruising chute and were romping along at 6kts. At sunset the wind rose in strength as it has done each day of this passage and we were being overpowered in the gusts with both the cruising chute and full mainsail. So, the cruising chute came down and for a while we could maintain 5kts with full main and genoa. Then the wind died................
This morning we were joined by a school of dolphin. Annie waved and called to them and in response three of them at the bow leapt from the water at exactly the same time. We have also seen breaching humpback whales. One was lying on its back about 500m away, holding its fins in the air and dramatically raising its tail as it swam off.
The passage is now a little frustrating. We are only 20 miles from land and yet nothing is to be seen on the horizon. This part of Australia must be very flat. We are motoring hard but cannot achieve more than 5kts. Our ETA is 1800 and we have not heard back from the marina to say whether we can go onto a berth or must anchor off in the river, which is the out of hours protocol for the Australian Border Force. Either way we will need to stay on board and receive no visitors until the customs and biosecurity inspections have been completed. Our remaining beer is in the fridge. Hey Ho.