Sailing Eastward into the sunrise and the seas building up as we go!

 

 

             

                   

 

On day 6 we have a very sweet and friendly little visitor:

Was he trying to find a place to hide from the storm to come?

 

 

                             

 

On Day 7 all sails were fully reefed and we sailed in Gale force 9 with gusts of F 10 and 47 knots of winds. All systems on Kahia worked perfectly and we were pleased that all the improvements made since our trip from Australia to New Caledonia paid off.

Kahia lived up to the Bowman reputation and made good progress in heavy seas. 

 

                     

 

        By day 11 the 5 m swell and 25+ knots of winds came as a relief until Day 14, when we started sailing into the easterly winds and crushing into the waves of confused seas.

Of course we have to include a sunset:

 

           

 

 

We steered a course to the Australs with constant squalls and 30+ knots of winds keeping as close to the wind as possible, but by Day 16 and so close, we gave up and turned northwards to Tahiti, as wind, sea and visibility made it impossible to enter the reef.

 

NIGHT VISION: An amazing apparition on the navigation Table

 

 

       

 

 

Someone overlooking our change of course in the Austral islands;

 

                

 

 

      Endless grey days...

But the sun is never far and soon we were able to take the washboards out and enjoy the first sunrays again!

 

                                                                                 

On day 17 we enjoyed calmer seas and a very gentle sail to end the passage, that has been so far the toughest we have had on this voyage of a lifetime.

 

During the relaxing sail of the last night before landfall, our Yankee (foresail) broke loose: All hands on deck!

 

 

            Trailing alongside Kahia, we were grateful for the calm conditions to bring the sail back on board

 

                                               

 

And in the morning: Land Ahoy!

 

         

 

Making landfall, with the dinghy still attached and the sail beautifully rolled up:

 

 

                   

 

A relieved Captain taking us through the reef:

 

                               

 

and exactly 19 days later on the hour, we dropped anchor in Phaeton Harbour, enjoying peace and stillness at last.