Exiting the Tropics - New Caledonia to Australia
Harmonie
Don and Anne Myers
Tue 20 Oct 2009 09:25
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25:39.666S 156:36.756E
We officially exited the tropics to the south a few
days ago when we crossed 22.5 degrees latitude, but are just now starting to
feel the effects. Don put on long pants last night for the first
time since we entered the tropics last May. Now he is bundled up in three
layers (t-shirt, thermal shirt and fleece) and is wearing socks - also for
the first time since leaving New Zealand. The cabin temperature is 72.8
degrees. My, my how wimpy we've become.
On a brighter note, the winds are less brisk now
and the time-tilt arc has decreased to a mere 10 degrees - barely noticeable
after the rollicking ride we were on for the previous two days. The
10-step visualization process was not even necessary when preparing dinner
tonight. Instead, Don's simpler 1-step process was used. Amazing the
difference just 10 degrees of tilt makes.
Another flying fish interloper landed on deck last
night. This time neither one of us noticed so the poor thing laid there
until morning when Don once again gave the lifeless body the heave ho with
honors. If this fish was looking for the flying fish friend
that landed on deck the previous night then let's hope they found each other in
the great beyond.
Did I mention that today was the most fabulous
sailing day ever? 14-18 knots of wind on the beam, small seas, 1 knot of
current with us and a cool, sunny sky. We are now going too fast for our
planned Brisbane arrival time, but we're banking on tomorrow's lighter, more
easterly winds to take care of that problem.
We've caught up to one of the boats traveling with
us to Brisbane, Sabbatical III. It is another Amel Super Maramu (same
make/model as Harmonie only newer), so we should travel well together for the
rest of the trip. It's nice to see another boat out here - Sabbatical III
is the first we've seen since our first night out. There's been
surprisingly few fishing boats and freighters (none, aside from one freighter
traveling up the New Caledonia coast on the first night). This should
change tomorrow night as we approach the Australian coast.
Cheers from chilly Harmonie -
Anne
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