10:03.76S 139:45.35S

Day 4 of passage

Arafura sea

Friday 27^th August, 2010

Captain’s log:

3am saw the breeze arrive, enough for us to set some sail and stop the engine at the same time we had a problem with the headsail furler and the watermaker decided to stop making fresh water, so far both are working again but will need a close eye kept on them.

By 0900 the wind had turned into a nice breeze, Ollie spotted that a line from our cruising chute was trailing in the water - he volunteered to go and retrieve it, by the time he had got his harness on the whole of the sail had snaked over the side so it was then a two handed job to stop the boat and drag the thing back onboard, which weighed a ton when full of water - so pleased we had rinsed it in fresh water whilst we were in Port Moresby!

We were able to set it by 1pm as the wind was again right for it so at least it's dry now, we were able to carry it until dusk when the wind conditions changed.  I think we will make a sailor of Ollie yet he was really great both setting and dropping it.  Spoke to Swanky again they have had a pig of a day with 35 knots of wind on the nose - looks like customs did us a favour after all.  Mousaka for dinner washed down with a bottle of French rose.

Run noon to noon 169 miles Total 558 miles

A bit more wind gave us the opportunity of setting the cruising shute.  Here David is winching it up as Ollie guides the sock in which the shute is kept.

This free footed sail allows us to sail in the lighter winds, and pulled us along at a good 7 knots in just 12 knots of wind abaft the beam.

We took it down in the evening, as the wind went forward. The wind increased also from 12 knots to 25 knots during the night. 

The night was also very busy with many squid/shrimp boats out, their strong lights blinding them to our presence, as well as ships passing us.  One ship which I saw on the AIS I got David to call up, and he altered course for us, as we were on a dead cert collision course!   I was the unfortunate one that bumped into something that was very low in the water, but had many lights flashing on it!  By the time I had rushed down to check it on the radar, we were on top of it!  It frightened the life out of me, as I was not sure if there were people on the raft!  Thankfully of course there were not.  We had been told there would be many of these lit rafts about!