Pushing

Hi Virtual Voyagers! As you can see from the fact that we have an image to share, Moli and Randall have made it to an anchorage and within cell phone range. It was a rough and challenging sail into safe harbor (the photo was from last night’s shenanigans). This means getting rested, clean and checked into Hobart/Australia will take priority over writing posts. Plus Jo will be there in a day or so to add to the distraction. We have a couple more posts from the last days to share but if we go quiet a bit we hope you understand. Thanks Team F8

Day 121

Noon Position: 43 40S. 137 17E

Course/Speed: E6

Wind: S13

Bar: 1018

Sky: Overcast Sea: SW8

Cabin temp: 60

Water Temp: 56

Miles last 24 hours: 168

Longitude Made Good: 149

Total Miles: 16,779

Miles to Hobart: 489

We’re pushing to make Hobart ahead of the low pressure system that smacked around my friends on Drina. To do that we need to average 150 miles a day. Over the last five days our average is exactly that, but today the scene has changed. Today winds that were west and northwest and then south have dropped away and gone, as I type, east. We’re motoring hard to maintain 5 knots.

The jib is down; the main has two reefs and is just acting as a steadying sail.Apparent wind is 12 on the nose and we pound into a small chop. I must be grateful. After the punishment, the engine took, that it  runs at all is a minor miracle. That it has been purring beautifully these last six hours, sounding like its old self, is nothing short of fantastic.

The forecast calls for wind to veer northeast by tomorrow and stay 15 knots or below. Then it will veer further north northeast and built to 25. Neither of those is great for a boat trying to make fast easting, but our opinion was not solicited, so we’ll try to make use of what we get.

By four days from now, winds go back into the northwest and west, and  then the front is upon us with winds to 35 and 40 The importance of that 150-mile-a-day target is that, if maintained, we are around the southern tip of Tasmania, South East Cape, and in sheltered water when the front arrives. And if not. Well then…