Well, what peaked at 3 meter rolling seas slapping the side of boat and throwing spray into the cockpit has become a total glass out. We are at 19_47.837s and 158_26.377e bearing 224mag @ 5.5knots (motoring). Wind is variable 2knts and sea 0.6m. We are approaching the eastern entrance to the French controlled Chesterfield reef. After traversing waters that were more than 4km deep it is suddenly 20m and we can see the bottom through turquoise water, the sails flap idly and there is not a ripple on the water.
The crew almost have their sea legs, 4 days seem to be the magic number, but we will stop to give everyone a break. The boat also needs repairs with our refrigeration and fresh water pump beset by Gremlins. Whatever our technical woes, it pales by comparison to our friends on Curried Oats who lost their engine a few hundred miles out of Vanuatu. After being becalmed in the center of the shipping channel and feeling like a billowing white target, they picked up some breeze and will hopefully arrive at Bundy tomorrow and get a tow from VMR. Go oats! Overall, it's all good on pandion, about 500nm to go. Organic Vanuatu beef stew for dinner.
Milo
Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.
No comments:
Post a Comment