Departed Apataki

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 1 Apr 2011 23:36
 

Noon Position: 15 32.6 S 146 43.5 W
Course: Northwest Speed: 5 knots
Wind: East sou' east, F3 Gentle breeze
Weather: Sunny, warm
Day's run: 29 nm

We got underway just after sunrise, hoisting the mainsail and slipping the mooring at 6.35. Once clear of the other yachts swinging to the moorings off the carenage I poled out the jib and we ran square downwind for Passe Pakaka. We have successfully sailed through the pass with a moderate out flowing current helping push us out of the lagoon. Now we continue to run wing on wing, passing between the atolls Arutua and Kaukura. We only have 60 miles to go to the entrance on the north side of Rangiroa Atoll, where I expect to arrive about midnight, so we will have to kill a about 10 hours waiting for daylight and slack water before we go in. Apparently because the entrance is on the windward side of the atoll there can be fierce overfalls on the ocean side with the ebbing tide and on the lagoon side with the flooding tide, so it is important that we get it right.

All is well.