Noon Position: 36 35.6 S 138 47.6 E
Course: NNW Speed: 6 knots
Wind: E, F3 – gentle breeze
Sea: slight Swell: SW, 2 m
Weather: overcast, cool
Day’s run: 166 nm

We have enjoyed a great day’s run, covering 166 miles in the last 24, an average of just under seven knots, which for old Sylph is excellent.

Yesterday afternoon we were running square before a moderate SE breeze, making good a comfortable six knots. By mid-afternoon the wind had freshened slightly and we needed to alter course more to the North to follow the coastline – I put a reef in the main and gybed. At 1940 we gybed again as the wind had veered and we were getting too close to the coast. By 2240 the wind had freshened further. I put a second reef in the main and rolled up a bit of jib. Sylph by this time was averaging close to eight knots. We continued thus until 0400 when the wind started to back into the East and ease. I dropped the pole, shook out the reefs in the main and unrolled the jib for a broad beam reach, Sylph’s speed still up around six to seven knots for a very comfortable ride. This morning the wind has eased further to a gentle breeze but with all plain sail set on a beam reach we continue to make good progress at around six knots.

Our ETA at Backstairs Passage is 2000. My friend Wayne has moved to a mooring in American River and our ETA there will be around 0100 tomorrow, certainly not an ideal time to be trying to enter the shallow unlit channel into the River's narrow tide-bound inlet. High water tomorrow at American River is around dawn, so the plan will be to enter at first light tomorrow. We will stay the day to catch up with Wayne and then depart on the morning tide on Monday. From American River to Adelaide Outer Harbor is 68 miles. Winds are forecast to be light on Monday forenoon with a fresh SW change arriving sometime in the afternoon. So, putting that all together, I reckon we will be tying up alongside the Squadron marina at about 0100 Tuesday. Plenty of time for a bit of a rest and a tidy up before heading off to John’s party in the evening.

All is well.