Noon Position: 33 49.7 S 151 17.4 E
Course: NE Speed: 4.5
Wind: NW, F3 - gentle breeze
Sea: slight Swell: SE 2 meters
Weather: sunny, mild

Its been a busy and productive two weeks in Sydney, doing a spot of maintenance, catching up with friends and yesterday afternoon satisfying Oli's fans with a spot of PR work with Australia's Youth and Women's America's Cup Regattas sailing team (see teamaustraliachalenge.org). Oli and I got to steer the AC40 foiling monohull simulator which was a lot of fun. We shall certainly be following our team's challenge closely this year in Barcelona. Thank you Kate for organising this spot of Oli PR.

This morning I caught up with an old navy colleague and friend, Tony Rose, for a cup of coffee and to receive his donation of an as new Honda 1000 watt genset. Thank you Tony. Sylph's old genset was definitely getting past its prime having had a long and demanding life in a harsh environment so I am very grateful to Tony for his generous gift.

At 1040, with the new genset stowed and the dinghy lashed down on deck, I started the engine, slipped the mooring and proceeded out of Rushcutters Bay (with a minor delay due to a jacket I had left behind in the club house - thank you Chris for fetching). As soon as we were in clear water I got the sails up and shut down the BRM. The wind was light from the NW so it was a slow trip down the harbour and out into the Tasman Sea. We all but drifted through the wind shadow behind North Head but we are now in clear air, making a comfortable four knots, close reaching to a gentle NW breeze.

At last we are back to where we started earlier in the year continuing north to Townsville. I have not yet decided where our first stop will be. We have a fresh favourable breeze forecast for the next few days so we will see how far it takes us.

All is well.