Day 4: Galeforce 9
Kahia
Paul and Catherine Davis
Wed 7 Nov 2012 11:17
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26:48S 177:11E
525 miles to the Bay of Islands, Opua
The Tropical Low went North of us, what a relief but
unfortunately a new front has developed straight into the fleet of boats heading
to NZ and we are all having a rough ride. We managed 25 to 30 knots of wind ok
but when it crept up to a constant 38 to occasional 42 knots from the ESE
and up to 4/5 meter waves we had to bear away and head West. We are both
fine but our muscles ache from the strain of moving around, Paul's cereal flew
from the galley into the chart table area, the cleaning and mopping up was a
true work out. My neck aches just from trying to keep my head up. The best
places are sitting wedged into the chart table seat or lying in the starboard
saloon bunk. Visibility is very poor, so we keep ourselves safe and dry down
below. Having to shut up the boat has developed the first condensation on the
hatches and port lights since leaving England, which means drops of water have
to be mopped up every so often.
We are now sailing in ESE 20 to 27 knots of wind with
gusts of 32, ironically it feels much better after the 40-ties, though the
sea is still very rough with waves slamming into Kahia and crushing over us now
and then. Here comes another rain squall and the night is young...
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