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.