Going for it.
Lochmarin
Wed 29 Oct 2014 05:56
After a good night's sleep we consulted weather maps, listened to Gulf Harbour Radio and set off again for New Zealand. It seems that there's a depression that's going to arrive in North Island Monday or Tuesday, so we need to get a wriggle on and get there before it. It means keeping up an average of 6 knots or more all the way, and we'll have to cross the centre of a high, so will have no wind for some of the voyage. Well, it's a bout time that we used up that Trinidad diesel (15p a litre) and we topped up the tank in Tonga (a shocking 60p a litre) so we've plenty to get us there.
We had a lovely sail, in blazing sunshine, a light wind on the beam, all 5 sails flying, keeping the speed up, until 4 this afternoon when the wind dropped, so not bad for the first day. Sitting in the bright sunshine I can almost think we're still in the Tropics, but as soon as I move into the shade there's a chill in the wind already. We'll feel it tonight under the clear sky.
We're motor sailing now, making what speed we can with 7 knots of wind, running the engine at less than half speed to top up to over 6 knots, which I think will be the pattern for the next couple of days. I can cope with that!
Food:
Day 4 - poached eggs on whole grain toast; Tonga bakery sausage roll with mango chutney and potato salad with green beans and tomatoes; ham fried with fresh pineapple and sweet cherry tomatoes, sweet potato carrots mashed with fresh coconut milk.
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