Exit Bass Strait

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 8 Dec 2018 02:40

Noon Position: 39 01.2 S  143 04.1 E
Course:  WNW  Speed: 5 knots
Wind: SW,  F3 - gentle breeze
Sea: slight     Swell: SW 2 m
Weather: overcast, mild
Day’s Run: 64 nm

Thankfully, we now have a little bit of wind, and thus far not too much.  It was a frustrating afternoon and evening mostly drifting around off Cape Wickham, the northern most point of King Island.  The decaying cold front left behind a broad weak trough with a very slack gradient, which is another way of saying that conditions were “light and baffling”, to use an _expression_ the first mate of an old square rigger would enter into his log. Eventually, at 0400 this morning, I woke up to a fresh breeze which also had us pointing back towards King Island.  I tacked, trimmed sheets and returned to my bunk, thinking, “At last!”  But … come 0700, we were drifting again.  Oh bother!

Now, now, at last, (10.00), we have a steady breeze.  I am pretty confident that this time it will be keeping us company for a couple of days, perhaps all the way to Adelaide.  And a pod of dolphins, including a couple of juniors, came out to play around Sylph’s bow.  A good sign I think.

All is well.