Day 39 – Where is Coconut?

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 21 Jan 2022 21:52
Noon Position: 46 54.9 S 123 18.5 W
Course: E Speed: 4.5 knots
Wind: S, F4 Sea: slight
Swell: SW, 2.5 meters
Weather: overcast, cool
Day’s Run: 124nm

We continue to run east just north of 47 degrees south trying to locate
Coconut. According to Mark’s reported position and corroborated by Wayne’s
perusal of ‘Marine Traffic’, which picks up AIS signals via satellite, as of
last night we were within about 20nm of one another. We have strong and
clear HF radio communications with one another and by this forenoon we
should have been well within VHF range. However, thus far I have not been
able to raise Coconut on VHF (perhaps the VHF antenna needs looking at) and
neither has she appeared on AIS. The forecast for the next few days is for
light to moderate winds from the west, so ideal conditions to effect a
rendezvous. Hopefully this afternoon’s HF sked will help get a better fix on
her.
Of interest, at midday we passed 110nm north of Point Nemo, a point in the
ocean that is the furthest you can get from any land. I had thought of
jogging down there to pass through it but pinning down Coconut has been my
priority and that has taken longer than anticipated.
Last night we retarded ship’s clocks one hour to time zone +8, which means
our local time is now 19 ½ hours behind Adelaide time (Sylph’s home port and
port of departure for this voyage).
All is well.