Day 2 tio Fiji

Spindrift
David Hersey
Wed 16 Sep 2009 23:50

18:33.736 S  178:58.249 W

 

16/09/09  03:30

 

I omitted the last two words of yesterday's entry:  "departure point."

 

Apart from 2 hours of sailing on Steve’s watch we’re still motoring.  When we left Tonga there were two yachts ahead of us which as is the way with these things disappeared on their own courses over night.  Six hours ago one of them turned up on the radar six  miles ahead and to the South of us.  He is now six miles behind.  There are another three  eight to  ten miles ahead and a bit South.  It would appear that everyone’s heading for the same pass through the Lau Group of Islands en route to Suva.   It makes a real change to have any company as we’ve been completely alone for most of the trip.  Our courses will converge as we all approach Oneata Passage which is about 30 miles ahead.  The one behind isn’t showing any navigation lights and we are motoring with our sailing tricolour masthead light as the starboard nav light is having a mood.

LED nav lights are supposed to be the final answer and last forever but I’m afraid that’s not been our experience.

 

11:00

 

We’ve been poled out for the last couple of hours.  Since we left Tonga we’ve had mostly ENE winds which are much warmer then the Southeasterlies we’ve had for so long.  This morning, it’s 26C (80F) with clear skies, there is hardly any sea, we’re doing mostly seven knots, upright, and for the first time this year it feels like we’re in The Pacific.  This is probably as good as it gets.   Time for another Capuccino.

 

12:00

Still sailing.  Yesterday’s noon to noon run was 173 miles.  157 to go.

 



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