09:17.14S 144:51.67E

Tuesday 24^th August 2010

We left Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea just before 7am on a beautiful, but a little hazy morning and motored out through the pass to be met by a confused sea left over from the wind of the previous days; this added to the backwash from the reef, left poor Ollie feeling a little queasy again. As we motored away and left the confines of the reef structure the sea took on a more orderly pattern and smoothed itself out.

By 0900 we had enough breeze to set some sail to help as along, and by mid-day were able to stop the engine. Although progress was a little due to a strong 2 knot counter current.

First night of our 7 day passage gave us not an amazing sunset, but enough to attract some of the birds flying around us to land on Kanaloa for a night’s rest

This brown booby tried several times to land on our crosstrees

This noddy managed to find perch on the engine cover

But decided it was a steadier platform on the aft deck, that’s the full moon rising just behind, which lit every one of the six nights we were on passage.

The brown booby nearly flew in through our front window after he landed

But eventually rested on the horizontal window, which made it easier to clear up its droppings!  It did not mask the foul smell of guano wafting in through the open window however.

Yet another booby slept on the solar panel above the dinghy at the back of the boat, also making it easier to clear up its droppings next morning!