Noon Position: 28 48.2 S 153 42.3 E
Course: N Speed: 6 knots
Wind: SSW, F4 moderate breeze
Sea: slight Swell: SSW 2 m
Weather: clear, warm
Day's Run: 118 nm sailed, 94 nm made good.

We left Coffs Harbour with a light headwind which freshened in the afternoon, making conditions less pleasant as the day progressed. The forecast was for the wind to back into the West and lighten ahead of the S'ly change due late in the evening, but, as is often the case, the devil is in the details and the forecast was not as accurate as I would have liked. The wind remained fresh from ahead until late in the evening and then fell light and fickle.

Consequently, in the afternoon and early evening we worked our way against the fresh winds, tacking among the various islands and rocks to the north of Coffs Harbour. By 2030 the wind had fallen too light for Sylph to maintain steerage way into the left over chop. I started the BRM and rolled up the headsail, motoring slowly as we bounced over the short seas. "Not to worry", I thought, "the S'ly will be here soon." But the S'ly did not hint at its arrival until 0140 when the flag on the backstay started to flicker from astern. Twenty minutes later the fair breeze had arrived in earnest. I was able to pole out the jib to starboard and shut the engine down for a bit of peace and quiet, and a little bit of sleep, as Sylph picked up pace at last making decent progress in the right direction.

We then spent the rest of the night dodging fishing boats trawling along the 20 meter contour, about three to five miles off the coast and about the same distance I was trying to maintain to avoid the worst of the East Australia Current. On the plus side, trawlers are very brightly lit so they are easy to see a long way off.

This forenoon, the trawlers now left well behind, we continue to make good progress, running square before the moderate fair breeze. The breeze is forecast to remain with us until this evening when it is expected to go light, before returning to a fresh N'ly tomorrow afternoon. Southport lies 50 miles ahead. At an average speed of five knots our ETA is 2200. I expect we will be motoring by then but at least we should be able to get into shelter well before the wind turns North again.

Getting warmer - T-shirt weather.

All is well.