Saturday 13th April 2013
The sun was close to setting at just gone 5pm & I spent quite a time enjoying the day's end and the changing sunset colours. A hazy crescent moon appeared briefly among thr clouds in the W - must be waxing, so we'll enjoy some moonlight overnight soon. It's been generally quite a pleasant sunny day, with good N-NNW wind and lovely clear blue sky this morning, following a night sky full of brilliant stars and a beautiful sunrise just before 6:20am, when I was giving my position to Taupo Maritime Radio.
Seas were rather rough earlier in the day , as a result of the wind being fairly strong, calmed down a quite a bit by mid-afternoon, but then came up again very noticeably tonight with the boat really being flung around and seas frequently washing the decks - and over the sprayhood! I wonder if we're getting swell from the Low to our N that's heading towards New Zealand in addition to the swell caused by the NNW wind.
We've maintained our course of ENE all day and hope to continue for some time more, although the forecast is for the wind to die right down within a day or two and stay down for at least a day - more drifting around...! But then the wind will be good again for several days more and we should be able to continue roughly ENE to around the North Cape of New Zealand.
Made a stew of sorts tonight - boiled some diced fresh potatoes and added a tin of chunky steak in a good gravy, along with a tin of sweetcorn - enough for tomorrow as well. Tasty & filling, but fairly quick and easy!
Had an enjoyable, long session on the radio tonight - lots of contacts from Tasmania and Aus 'mainland' (including one from beside a camp-fire not far from Perth!), often with questions about my sailing and the boat. A lot of very friendly and supportive people out there - thanks to all of you!
D.M.G. over 24hr to 9am LT: 89 n.ml. Deceptive! Was actually far more since made two long tacks - NNW over daytime y'day, then gybed onto present ENE tack at sunset last night - all in 15-20kt winds from NNE (y'day) to N overnight/this morning
Hobart:365 n.ml. (225T) ;Sydney:310 n.ml. (342T); New Zealand's North Cape: 988 n.ml. (081T)
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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/