Day 17 - Pacific Crossing - 8th April

8th April: 15.20 (Add 7 for UTC)
Course needed: 265
Course steered: 260 (too much wind in East)
Speed: average 5.0 knots
Miles sailed: 1944
Miles to go: 1089
Lat: 8° 42'S
Long: 120° 42'W
Wind: 10-15 apparent, 120 true?
Plan: Sail direct for Hiva Oa


Last night was slow but uneventful. We reefed before dark but actually didn't need to. Hence the slow speed.

This morning it was parasail weather so we decided to give it another go. The most efficient launch yet but neither Paul nor the slightly poorly autopilot could manage to steer us. So reluctantly it came down again as we don't have the capacity to hand steer it all the time though Gill did steer at 7.5 knots for an hour or so. It really is the right sail for light downwind sailing. So that took around three hours in total during which we used some diesel and sailed basically nowhere. I was not a happy , though tired, bunny.

Back up with unreefed main and dawdle along downwind at 4.2 knots in 12 knots of wind. Gill went below for a sleep and I decided to play with the sails. Peter of Milly said we needed more (or any!) sail forward of the mast to be better balanced so I unfurled the small staysail. Although it gets blanketed by the main a bit we are now bobbing along at just over 5 knots. The course is good and I see the rudder is finally straight, so no drag there.

It's a beautiful trade wind day today again. Ideal for lounging and recharging our batteries.

It's been a bit of a catch-up day too. Some sleeping, some planning, some lounging around. Tomorrow we hope to...

1. Make water.
2. Make new fishing lures.
3. Catch a fish
4. Be 2/3 of the way to Hiva Oa.
5. Have less than 1,000 miles to go.
6. Put the clocks back a further hour to UTC -8.
7. Do the laundry.

I wonder how many of those will get completed?!

So that's about it for today. Tomorrow I may explain how our communications with the outside world work.


email (text only, no pictures) to mvgc3@sailmail.com

Follow us at https://www.noforeignland.com/boat/mehalah/journey

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