Day 3 S21:49:593 E168:52:774

Superted V
Jean & Matt Findlay
Wed 28 Aug 2013 22:30

A very steady day with winds from the south east at around 15 knots.  Full sails all day on beam reach.  Seas calmed and sun out most of the day.  Lovely night full of stars and I watched the half moon come up in the early hours of the morning – glorious.  Saw our first vessel of the passage – the cruise ship Carnival Spirit – which came by us in the night at a distance of around 2 miles heading for Suva.  It was great to be able to track it’s position on the AIS (Automated Information System).  The wind is supposed to go more southerly this morning but so far hasn’t so our speed has slowed quite a lot as the wind has dropped to below 10 knots.  About 115 miles to go to the Havannah pass.  We have to enter the reef system around New Cal via this pass. The pilots advise doing so at slack water or on the flood due to strong currents and standing waves. Our tide gate closes at around midnight tonight and reopens around 6 am tomorrow morning, so with our drop in speed it’s going to be a dawn arrival, though we gain an hour due to time travel!

 

24 hours distance:  172 miles