Friday 11:30am NZT Wind still from NW at 19kt and we're making 3.5-4kt, trying to head up the coast, hoping for light enough wind to finish replacing remaining sail-slides into mast track, so I can raise the mainsail - but wind seems to be heading us somewhat so making slow progress NE.
Seas have calmed down a lot so tried to get up to wind generator - top of pole is rather high up and realised when up there that I needed to tie off a blade to stop it rotating and to enable me to reach the damaged one to work on its remains. So had to untie myself and get back down and up again with some cord - managed that, and also managed to remove existing bit of old blade without losing the screws (although have spares) - but all very difficult, perched high up in the slight swell, working up well above my head - that, and the stress of it all, made me very tired. Fixing the new blade into position will definitely need calm conditions if I'm to manage it.
Getting to my bunk now for some much-needed sleep since I can't work on mainsail in present 18kt wind.
While up on the port-side pole, noticed that the top of the other pole, holding several antennas and the radar etc, was rotating slightly - which it shouldn't do. Clearly a problem caused by the knockdown, so I then lashed it to help hold it down in place. Will have to come up with a plan for stopping the slight rotation - several short bolts are now missing from their threaded holes.
4pm Sun getting low over coastline in distance. Fairly low and hilly, rather than mountainous, as I'd expected.
Cleared up in galley and elsewhere. Trying to figure out a 'fix' for the antenna/radar pole movement - not good for it to be able to move as it is - could damage the cables going down to below...
About to run generator and watermaker for an hour.
6:15pm Some remains of sunset colours in W sky over distant coast but otherwise virtually dark. Wind down to 13kt now, so going even more slowly - difficult to make our preferred heading. Hoping for wind to die more by tomorrow so can get work done on mainsail slides. Might have to tack closer inshore if wind veers to N. There's a lovely(!) big area of almost no wind a bit further N which will be gone by Monday - but can't see us reaching it in this NW wind, since use of engine is not allowed in my attempt...!
Cooking some lentils and onion (still plenty of fresh onions left, although some getting a bit gungy). Will add diced ham when done and maybe some curry paste to ring the changes.
6:40pm Wind has backed to WSW - so able to make a far better course, only problem being that it has also died down to 7-10kt. Why couldn't it have done that in daylight?? I wonder how long it will stay WSW... COG is 010T just now, SOG around 2kt! ... Wind swinging around from WSW to W and back - very light..
7pm Posting twice-daily position & weather report to Winlink/Shiptrak and downloading latest weather files - showing NW 9kt but wind actually anywhere from W quadrant and only 4kt.
10pm Wind came up again to 15 kt from NW - as in this evening's weather forecast and over most of the day. We'd gybed around to head inshore a little more, intending to gybe again in a few hours' time. Trying to stay inshore and not getting too far offshore, while staying safe.. Means broken sleep to keep an eye on our position regularly.
Saturday 4am (Fri 1600GMT) Gybed around onto port tack, making 060T at around 3kt, heading back up the coast, close to the NW 19kt wind. Seems to me that the hope of having light wind to work with on deck close to the coast from first light onwards isn't happening... I'll wait to see what the next weather forecast is saying about the chances of light conditions coming up hereabouts.
The moon is shining brightly but hazily through a very thin cloud layer. The light at Nugget Point is flashing twice every 12 seconds to NW, 10 miles off, and a fishing trawler is visible showing its bright white deck lights about 10ml to S.
4:30am Wind has dropped and our speed with it - making around 2.5kt now on 050T. Bsck to my bunk for a bit more sleep....
7am Vivid orange line of light along E horizon, below grey overcast cloud layer - sunrise quite soon...
Wind around 15kt from NW, making course NE at 2.5kt - not seeing the light wind now that I'd been so much hoping for - and have been waiting around here overnight for... looks to have been a total waste of time and effort...! Calm area is just a touch too far to N and can't get there! Weather forecasts were not all agreeing and I really wanted to believe the one that forecast light wind today!
(8:20am Wind down to 12kt -will see if light enough...)
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While sailing around the world, I'm trying to raise funds to help support the superb life-saving work done by the RNLI (Lifeboats) in Britain each and every day of the year, regardless how bad the weather. In fact, the worse it is, the more likely they are out there, helping someone in distress - whether a swimmer, surfer, small boat or big ship, night or day, summer or winter. They are all volunteers with normal day-jobs who respond immediately to a call and it is a charity - no government funding - so they rely on our help to fund their intensive training and maintain their equipment.
It would be great if you would take a moment to click on the Lifeboats link here (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jeanne-Socrates2), if you'd like to show your support for my efforts at sailing solo, nonstop, unassisted around the globe, trying to set a World Record as the oldest person to do so, by donating something towards the great work the RNLI do every day. If a lot of people put in even a small amount, it all adds up... Thanks a lot! If you can help, it will be very much appreciated. Let's see if we can reach my target!
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1900GMT (= 7 a.m. NZT, 12 hrs on) - end of Day 233. We made 39 n.ml. DMG, over the 24hr period, measured in a straight line between the two 1900GMT positions. Deliberately slow, hoping to fix mainsail in place...
Total distance covered from Victoria, B.C., to end of Day 233 (by daily DMGs):19,963 n.ml.
Distances (at 1900GMT): S.Cape, NZ : 116 n.ml. to SW; nearest South Island, NZ, coastline (Nugget Pt): 13 n.ml. to W; Bluff: 72 n.ml. to WSW; Dunedin: 45 n.ml. to NNE; Hobart (Tasmania, Aus): 991 n.ml. to NW
Position & weather report for 1900 GMT, posted to www.Winlink.org and www.Shiptrak.org (using my US callsign KC2IOV):
TIME: 2019/05/24 19:00GMT LATITUDE: 46-30.81S LONGITUDE: 170-05.95E
COURSE: 047T SPEED: 2.9kt
WIND_SPEED: 16kt WIND_DIR: NW SWELL_DIR: SW SWELL_HT: 2.0m CLOUDS: 99%
BARO: 1013.3hPa TREND: 0 AIR_TEMP: 15.0C SEA_TEMP: 14.0C
COMMENT: Off Nugget Pt, E coast of S. Island, NZ.
