1230 NZT

To continue our drama’s the steering went really loose and difficult to control so at 0530 this morning after my watch I went into the aft lazarette

and slowed the boat with the the help of the guys I tightened up the steering cables so they were not loose as a goose they wee actually that loose they were in danger of falling off the quadrant but within half an hour they were suitably tightened and we a were back on our way to North cape. we made good speed last night until Raj’s watch and then the wind just fell out completely and basically drifted with the current despite the direction we were pointing in.

Raj’s saving grace was the last hour when the wind finally filled in and sent us along a fair old pace in comparison to the speeds we had been doing for the previous 2 hours oh well it’s better to finish on a high than a low. The sea last night was  a complete flat calm I have never seen it that calm on the Tasman sea ever!

We are hoping to reach North cape around 0200 or 0300 which will give us plenty of time tomorrow to refuel and get everything running ok.

We are hoping to refuel somewhere the Bay of Islands and Tutukaka and then carry on our merry way to Whangarei. Hopefully By Wednesday evening we will be sitting in a bar and as the Australians say blowing the froth of and couple so to speak(for those of you that don’t speak Australian that’s code for having a couple of beers)

Well it’s a really nice day out here and we are all enjoying the sunshine and the wind.

Regards from

Mark, Raj and Chris