Saturday 24th April 2010
Recovering from storm last night - 14 hours of steep, 6 metre swell, wind 35-46kt with occasional lull to 28 kt. No sleep. Seas calming down now, at 7pm, but still big. Sailing gently.
Australian Coast guard plane flew by at noon. Called me on VHF - but called "Ella's Pink Lady". I asked him to let me know where she was when he located her. He came back and reported that she is 56 ml to my NNW. My worries confirmed - we must have crossed paths in the stormy weather of the last few days but at least I now know she's safely astern of me. Like me, her team will have wanted her to be north to avoid the centre of the low and the worst of the weather. More cold fronts coming Monday and Wednesday with strong winds.
Saturday 17th April 2010
South of Cape Leeuwin, crossing Great Australian Bight.
Replaced the rudder on the Hydrovane in flat calm - celebrated with beautiful shower! Also wired the shackles I've put in place on the genoa foot to the Furlex to overcome problem of shackle pin having gone missing.
Calm overnight but NNE 12kt wind soon after dawn. Sailing nicely - despite weather forecast! Making for New Zealand for a brief stop in Nelson. Windstrength is fine.
Thursday 15th April 2010
Ella's Pink Lady and Nereida
I’ve had quite a few messages about having got close to Jessica now I’m near to Australia on my way to NW America from Capetown.
Jess sent me a very nice email in February to say how sorry she was to hear of the repairs needed in Capetown and asked me to email her when I left so we could talk on HF / SSB radio as we both sailed east.
While my computer was still working, I was able to email her several times wishing her well and giving her my position. But I never received a reply. So for over 5 weeks now we have not made contact.
I don’t have her sat phone number, though she has mine. Unless she or one of her team calls or texts me, I have no way of finding out her position or how she is getting on. She could be close by just over the horizon for all I know!
It would have been fun to chat and compare notes every so often, as we both sailed across the Southern Ocean. If she still wants to make contact, my phone is always on.
I wish Jess and all her backup team the very best and hope she has a successful completion back in Sidney very soon.
Jeanne
Nereida
15th April, 0300 UTC
Position 38 38 S 110 25 E
PS How is Abby doing?
Sunday 11th April 2010
Just a reminder, if you would like a return text from Jeanne, please remember to include your cell phone number in the text you send her from Iridium's website!
Jeanne is currently hove to in 30-40kt winds awaiting a storm to finish. Her autopilot has failed, and she will work on it when things calm down.
Monday 5th April 2010
2 dead computers means that Jeanne has NO EMAIL capability, but her positions continue to be posted daily. Tasmania is 2500 miles away and she is making excellent progress towards San Francisco for the start of the Transpac Single-Handed race to Hawaii in June.
She can receive text messages on her Satellite phone at +881631641746 (free from www.iridium.com) and her SSB is working!