23:13.43s 154:41.65e

Farr Gone Blog
Stuart Cannon
Fri 19 Aug 2011 03:45
150 nautical miles to go and it's a perfect night. The stars are so bright they are like an illuminated carpet. The wind is a pleasant breeze and the boat is rolling lazily along. The entire voyage from Vanuatu has been a classic. The first day was a bash into wind and then several days of high speed broad reaching which was memorable for it's excitement but very exhausting as sleep was minimal. Then the last 36 hours have been glorious. Beautiful weather and very respectable speed with minimal effort, thank heavens, I needed the rest. It's also given me the chance to get the boat organized and clean on the inside anyway. The outside is crusted with salt on everything but that can wait for Bundaberg and a hosing with fresh water.
The voyage was also blessed with a full moon that has been so bright you would swear the solar panels were working. Occasional meteorites streak across the sky adding to the theatre of space.
The southern sky is much more interesting than the northern hemisphere sky. The milky way is profound and the planets are so obvious. Sailing is one of the great ways of star gazing as there is plenty of time to watch them slowly turn in the sky. You notice it because the boat is heading in a certain direction and the stars at the bow keep moving. Actually it's the earth turning but let's not get pedantic.
So tomorrow will bring the drama of docking in an unfamiliar port and having the various authorities come and inspect the boat, remove all the unused food and check for termites, drugs etc. What fun that will be, not. The worst bit is you have to pay for the privilege. $350 for the Aquis bloke. And that's for an hour, if he takes longer then the rate goes up. I'd love to run a business that could charge out at that rate. Oh well, just have to be philosophical I guess.

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