Enroute to Cape Don
Sea Mist > Sold to New Owners July 2016
John and Cheryl Ellsworth
Fri 6 Jul 2012 15:54
Covered 125 nm in first 15 hours....averaging close to 8.5 kts...with lots of high speeds of up to 11 kts plus as we surfed down the swells. We have now had current with us and against us....should be starting to be favorable again now (2 am). Beam ro slightly broad reach all the way so far....most of the time with reefs in both main and headsail as wind has been above forecast strenght. Recently it is getting down to the 20 kt forecast level and the sails are almost fully unfurled.
It looks like we may get a bit of a rest at anchor at Cape Don as we are showing ETA of about midnight (22 hours from now) and we don't want to start from Cape Don towards Darwin until about 7 am to catch the tides/currents in a favorable timing rather than adverse. Important in those waters as currents can be up to 4 to 5 kts against you if you get your timing wrong as you need to coordinate the passage through 2 different tidal flows.
You will have gathered from what I just said, that we decided to get this agony over with and get to Darwin without further delay so no "days" anchoring/resting at Cape Don.
All is going well....I say carefully and immediately knock on wood!
..later...the Seamisters
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