13.03S 141.56W
Mojo 2
Andrew Partington
Fri 12 Aug 2011 01:40
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We are very, very close now. Yesterday we had the
Marquesas just 100NM to our north and today we have the first island of the
Tuamotus 70NM south of us.
Our waypoint off Takaroa is now just 175NM away,
after we opted for a slightly shorter route. We should be there tomorrow night
and will quietly sail towards out passage through the islands so that we
are doing so in daylight hours. Of course we then have to sail
across to Tahiti, which will be around another 120NM. I think for both of
us, however, it is very much going to feel that our journey has been
compeleted as we pass between Rangiroa and Aratua.
The nights are starting to take a toll on us now
and last night we really struggled. I tried to sleep in the afternoon without
success so overnight was pretty tough. We had another squall on Janes 2am shift.
No big deal but they do mess with the wind direction for at least an hour
and serve to divert you from your main task of putting miles under the keels. It
is hard to descibe just how tired you get but to give you some idea, a couple of
nights ago I fell asleep leaning against the steps to the helmstation whist
listening to my I-phone blaring music through my headphones. When your head hits
the pillow you are generally asleep before you could count to ten. Today we have
both slept so hopefully we should have a better night. This has all been
made so much tougher by losing our autopilot.
Last night we were forecast fair winds and ended up
with a constant 22-23 knots which again whipped the seas up for us. By morning
the winds and seas had eased.
We have had a super sail all day today in an
easterly blowing at 15-16 knots Still on the genneker and will not change this
as sterring has become much easier with it since the seas eased.
The pins in our Mailasail Map must be showing us as
virtually there.
Andrew Partington
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