Day 22 - Pacific Crossing - 13th April

13th April: 16.15 (Add 8 for UTC)
Course needed: 270
Course steered: 270, then 215 (into wind!)
Speed: average 4.9 knots
Miles sailed: 2527
Miles to go: 622
Lat: 9° 41'S
Long: 128° 33'W
Wind: 7-10 apparent, 105 true?
Plan: Sail direct for Hiva Oa (HaHa!)

Frustrating or what? The nice 10-15 knots from the SE have been replaced by a sloppy ESE breeze. And whilst that should still allow us to make reasonable progress on port tack we again have the waves on our beam. Every one heels us over causing the sail to crash. It's horrible.

Update: We have now gybed onto std tack. Initial indications are better. Less slatting, making some north that we now need. But even slower. SOG now around 3.2 knots at 300 degrees. VMG around 3 knots.

Anyway it's been an overcast day today. Very soporific and energy sapping. Mostly we've laid around, tidied a bit, made some bread and had a good moan about everything. I have to say we are both ready to arrive now but at this rate it will be another week to go still.

The new lures have been out in the less hectic conditions but no success there either I'm afraid.

So for the time being we sit here doing Daily Telegraph cryptic crosswords, reading Kindle books, wincing at the crashing, adjusting the sail and hoping for more wind.

Jack. Send us some wind!

UPDATE @ 1900.
Little improvement and wind now coming from right behind us so engine on for the night. Hoping for more wind tomorrow (though forecast is more easterly). Boo.

[Last night when I sent the blog there were no replies for the first time. We have a 90 minute a month connection contract so it's possible we've reached that limit and we won't get any more of your messages and you won't get the blogs. Fingers crossed. We'll see if this one goes tonight].


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

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