Saturday 7 July:  South Pacific Ocean 17 51.0S  176 41.2E  

Today’s Blog by David (Time zone UTC +12.00;  BST+11.00)

Simone being now safely back in Hawkley, we set off this morning on the last  leg which we will sail in on the World ARC. We are bound for Vanuatu from where we will take our leave of the fleet.  Bob flies home from there and Peter and I will sail the relatively short 350 mile leg down to New Caledonia from where we too will fly home for the end of the month. 

Having been promised a beam reach in 15 knots of wind for this leg, we currently find ourselves thrashing around uncomfortably in 25-30 knots true with a 2 m beam swell.    Not life threatening, admittedly, but it does make the place untidy and spills your drink, too.  Simone’s decision to go home thus has proved to be a masterstroke – else she would have been VERY quiet.  

We really enjoyed Musket Cove – it is an excellent facility unspoilt in a lovely setting. Vanuatu on the other hand is said to be an unprepossessing place with very limited facilities – same old, same old.  But – it will be quiet!