Into Hell

Digiboat's "Product Testing"
Simon Blundell
Wed 25 Jan 2012 19:31

08:11.98S 115:44.65E

25/1 1930 LT

Latest forecast shows no change, so no point in waiting, we now have about 9 days to do the 1,000 mile passage so time enough if things go at least a bit in our favour, but no time  to sit a wait for the wind to pass, so cast off the mooring at 2pm and head around to the N of Gili T straight into the throat of Gale Force winds and 3-5m seas as confused as a surf-zone. Waves and chop from several directions and most of them breaking.

Attempted port tack, but with the 3-4kn E-set current, we were on course for Hawaii- not very encouraging start so tacked over and actually had a nice sail, heavily reefed, through the night in the gale force winds to NE corner of Bali. Tacked back over to port in the pre-dawn for the punishing but enevetable few days of pounding N across the gale force wind band.
 
SJB