On Passage to New Zealand - Day 5

Macushla
Mark & Sue Owen
Wed 25 Nov 2015 21:04
32:22.24S 175:29.26E

Miles to go: 180

All is well on board and the last 24 hours have been text book light airs sailing with our big, bright, colourful sails in full time use. We had the spinnaker up all day and when, late in the afternoon, the wind started to veer, we swapped it for the night for the lightweight Multi-Purpose Genoa (MPG).

In the afternoon we spotted some small whales off the port beam; they passed gracefully by, not at all interested in Macushla.

During the night we had our first encounter on this trip with a commercial vessel - our Sea Me active radar transponder picked up the sweep of its beam long before we had either visual or AIS contact - so that kept us on our toes. Probably the first of many as we get nearer to civilisation.

Bio-security regulations in New Zealand are such that we need to use up all fresh fruit and veg before we make landfall as these, along with any seeds and pulses, will be confiscated if we have any on board. So it looks like G & Ts tonight to use up the last of the fresh lemons...