Monday 8th April 2013
6.45am Dull, murky overcast, with frequent fine rain showers. Headed E .... to just beyond edge of continental shelf & into far shallower waters - no obvious difference in chop or seas ... slightly less, if anything...result of small 1-2m seas, probably.
Sailing well at 6-7 kt in SSE wind - result of another Cold Front passing over.... Didn't expect this good wind, so a definite bonus... but having to keep a careful eye on course and conditions... Very disturbed sleep overnight...
Problem ahead was Pedra Branca & Eddystone - isolated rocky outcrops (excellent bird sanctuaries!) rising up from deep ocean. With wind backing slowly but surely, was eventually forced to deviate to pass downwind (to their north), rather than keep to their S, as I'd hoped.... and that set us closer to land, which I'd hoped to avoid...
Pedra Branca
9am As we approached Pedra Branca in misty conditions (see photo), we passed S of the SE Cape of Tasmania - one of the Southern Ocean's Great Capes (passed close by there last year, on 1st April ). Lots of birds flying around... gannets in long strings, prions galore and the occasional albatross.
2pm ESE of Tasmania's SE Cape and due South of S.Bruny Island, with the Tasman Peninsula ahead - I had been hoping our course would enable us to sail past safely - not to be.... wind backed just enough to prevent us from passing well off - so as dusk was falling, around 6pm, we had to tack around... and are presently heading SSE....grrr!! Existence of very strong currents in the area for a good distance off was mentioned in our daily 'sched' by Jeremy, of Dover Radio, who knows the area well - another good reason to stay well clear of spectacular Cape Raoul (see photo) and Tasman Island, off Cape Pillar...
Cape Raoul
Made a lot of radio contacts with Aussie (VK) stations, in addition to regular US contacts, this evening - nice to be able to chat with friendly, welcoming people! Certainly has been a pleasure to make such good use of the radio while crossing the Indian Ocean and passing Australia.
D.M.G. over 12hr to 2300GMT (9am LT): 68 n.ml.- excellent speed for quite a time ; Passing Tasmania's S.E.Cape - 14 n.ml. due N.
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For my positions and track, see:
www.svnereida.com - 'Travels' - "Where is 'Nereida'?"
and/or:
http://www.exactearth.com/media-centre/recent-ship-tracks/tracking-nereida/