Day 11 Position Report 31 59.14 S 173 50.66 W 1200FPT

Mark_needler
Professional Skipper
Tue 13 Mar 2012 00:17
 
    Today we only have 638nms to go before we reach Auckland and if we continue our current rate we should be there in approximately 5 days arriving on the 17/18th March. Our last 24hrs saw us cover 156nms.
 
 
    We are now only 334nms till we hit the International date line at which point we will loose a day, but at the same time join the same day as the majority of the World.
 
    Yesterday afternoon we were using the asymmetrical kite and it pulled Wilhelm along nicely until the wind strength got up to 20knts then we had to drop it as the wind direction we had the sail was just too tight with that much sail up, but while it lasted it was a nice ride.
 
    for the whole trip so far we have been pushing an ocean current always slowing us by a knot or even two at times. We would of been a hell of a lot closer to Auckland at this point if it had been with us all the way.............but those are the breaks!
 
    Its been a fairly interesting morning with the wind starting from behind at a half reasonable pace and then turning to either tack and very light, we are at the moment in between two weather systems, a low to the south and a high to the north so it’s not surprizing that everything is very confused at the moment, hopefully sooner rather than later it makes it’s mind up what it’s doing but with the barometer only moving one or two mb’s in any given watch I guess we will have to wait.
    According to a famous English sailor Sir Robin Knox Johnson any birthday you have at sea doesn’t count on land!! (his rules not mine!) So officially this is my 39th Birthday today and I can’t wait to get back and celebrate, but for the time been its business as usual.  
 
 Cheers
Mark