Headwinds
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Noon Position: 38 19.0 S 144 35.0
E The wind freshened out of the SW late in the afternoon, requiring a reef in the main and a couple of rolls on the jib. Sylph sailed well with this configuration against the fresh head wind and significant two to three meter swell. We tacked our way along the coast toward Cape Otway and found the wind a bit lighter inshore, especially as the evening wore on. At midnight we tacked out to sea and shook out the reef and unrolled the jib. Unfortunately, the lighter winds also made it harder for Sylph to hold her bows up into the wind against the swell which meant that our tacking angle was worse than normal and our progress overnight, while relatively comfortable, was less than I had hoped. Now the wind has freshened again, I have once more reduced sail again to one reef and a couple of rolls on the jib and Sylph is again punching her way against the sea and swell. The forecast is for strong winds from the west for the next few days. There seems little point in spending several days at sea making slow progress while being very uncomfortable and as Apollo Bay is only six miles away I have decided to seek shelter there. ETA 1500. ETD 0900 Saturday. All is well. |