Noon Position: 30 20.2 S 153 12.4 E
Course: South Speed: 4 knots
Wind: ESE F3 gentle breeze
Sea: slight Swell: SE 1.5m
Weather: sunny, warm
Day’s Run: 26nm

We ended up going to anchor in Coffs Harbour for the night, arriving at 1645. Several other boats clearly had the same idea as me as I have never seen the outer harbour so crowded before, with about six sail boats and one power boat all anchored around the jetty.

We enjoyed a peaceful night and on rising at around 0730 found that all but one other boat had already sailed. However, I was in no hurry as the wind was light and still in the South. I guessed that most of the other boats were happy to motor for most of the morning and probably wanted to make for another harbour for the night.

Sylph, however, had a more leisurely start, getting underway after breakfast and catching up on the morning news at a little after ten. By this time the breeze was slightly stronger allowing us to sail from anchor, though we initially motored to clear the chop surrounding the harbour entrance. On clearing harbour, the wind was from the SSE, so we held onto the starboard tack for an hour to open the coast and to find a fairer wind. By 1130 the gentle breeze had backed into the ESE and we had found the East Australia current. Here we tacked and have since been able to hold a course of South at a speed of four knots. We are punching into a bit of a swell, made steeper with the current, but overall given the light winds I am happy with our progress.

This evening the wind is forecast to back into the North and freshen to force five, which should have us barrelling towards our next stop, old Sydney town, where we hope to arrive late Thursday/early Friday.

All is well.