Thanks to Commodore Kevin Murdoch, of the N.Otago Yacht and Powerboat Club in Oamaru Hbr, who has been very helpful about coming in and picking up a buoy (under sail) in the harbour in order to get my repairs done.
So long as I arrive in good daylight, to see well enough to pick up a buoy, that will be fine, so long as depth of water is good, also. They are planning to come out in a boat to show me the safe entry into the small harbour and to point out the buoy not far from the entrance that I will need to pick up.
5pm A second 'blow' around sunset which followed not so long after another even stronger one just as I was preparing to enter the harbour at Oamaru. Both blew up quite suddenly to 30-40kt - had to reef right down and in the first one I heaved to but the second one died down after a shorter time.
Unfortunately, by the time the first had died down, and I'd been blown a good distance away from the harbour, the word was that there would not be enough water to enter - Low Water was imminent - pity!
After some discussion on the options, with Kevin on board a small fishing boat that had come out to guide me in through the tricky entrance shallows, it was agreed that at 10:30pm I'd phone him to check if the wind was suitable to enter the harbour - not too strong but also not too light since I need to be able to steer the boat, of course.
Later: The plan to enter at night was ditched as being too risky - I'm not familiar with the layout, although I do have a photo of it, and it would be difficult to pick up the buoy in the dark. So I headed off, to try to stay N of the harbour, well out to sea overnight to wait for morning and to try again.
Thursday 3am Crescent moon just rising - two 'horns', spots of orange light at first, appear out of the sea, before the rest follows slowly - lying 'on its 'back'...
Have been awake a lot of time overnight, trying to keep boat headed N of Oamaru Hbr since N wind expected - but in light winds, all very difficult.
Gybed around with difficulty in light wind, to try to head back inshore, hoping to get to vicinity of harbour entrance around midday. Only one chance to get in - around High Water. Praying for some more wind to speed us along....
4:30am Going crazy out here, trying to persuade the boat to head towards shore in no wind - every so often, we go around in circles.... Course and speed weren't too bad to begin with but now wind has just died completely, so impossible to get anywhere - we'll not make our time at the harbour entrance unless wind comes up - and that's not forecast to happen - frustrating.....
6:30am Had a 2-hr rest fully-clothed in my foulies & boots...just in case of a sudden strong gust again. Wind up slightly - we're actually now making our course - but far too slow. Need wind to pick up just a bit more to speed us up without it gusting up to 30-40kt again. Over 12 miles and five hours to go to harbour entrance - need to be making just 2.5kt average speed - and we're presently making 2-3 kt ... Fingers crossed we get no more big gusts but just a good wind...
(Later: Big NW gust drove us further out.- having to abort Oamaru - impossible to head that way in NW-SW wind under sail alone. Will need a Plan B.
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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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Total distance covered from Victoria, B.C., to end of Day 238 (by daily DMGs): 19,963 n.ml. up to last distance calculation (on Day 233) + an unknown amount - but now have plotter available to do it! Just need the time.
Distances (at 1900GMT): Dunedin, South Island, NZ: 59 n.ml. to SW.
Position & weather report for 2000 GMT, posted to www.Winlink.org and www.Shiptrak.org (using my US callsign KC2IOV):
TIME: 2019/05/29 19:00GMT LATITUDE: 45-04.75S LONGITUDE: 171-16.40E
COURSE: 040T SPEED: 2.0kt
WIND_SPEED: 7kt WIND_DIR: NW SWELL_DIR: NW SWELL_HT: 2.0m CLOUDS: 40%
BARO: 988.3hPa TREND: 0 AIR_TEMP: 14.0C SEA_TEMP: 14.0C
COMMENT: Trying to get to Oamaru Hbr - was hoping to enter today
