Friday 10/18, Day 6
Wow o wow…..this incredible South Pacific journey is almost over…..very mixed emotions….on the one hand we are pretty tired, not just from this passage but for the entire past 11 months…..so many new places, cultures, sights, ocean miles, navigation, repairs, new friends et al that comes with cruising new places….not seeing our family and friends back in the USA…..but, also, not wanting it to end…..it’s a bit surreal to think we have done this….in a trawler for godsakes…..we are just so blessed to have this opportunity and to have made it happen…..wow o wow!!!!!!
We had a much better day today….almost trawler weather….for the most part 8-12 kt and 4-7′ headwind and sea but the motion is like riding a pony versus the wild stallion yesterday 🙂 )))) So when it is over we will have had 20% lousy weather and 80% good-to-fine weather but all we will remember is the pounding we took 🙂 ))) In hindsight had we delayed a day we might have had the perfect window…..that was one of the many scenarios we looked at….we chose unwisely, but that is hindsight!! That front was probably mild by NZ standards but it sure kicked our butts…..oh well, live and learn!!!
The adverse current continued for most of the day….at times up to 1 – 1.5 kts knocking our speed to the low 6,s….finally, just before 34S we got rid of the adverse current and it became favorable…..we have a shot at getting to Marsden Cove just after sunset!!! One of the advantages of a trawler, besides being in our warm, dry pilot house with jammies on (in this case, our winter warm ones) is the ability to put the throttle down once we determined we had enough fuel. We are now doing >8.0 kts at 1700 rpm and might go up to 1800 rpm…..ah, the memories of chasing Kasekuchen and 9.0 knot Bad Bob in the Pacific Northwest…..even Mystic remembers….she thinks she is going to raft up and smell Bad Bob’s cooking 🙂 ))))
Six nights on this passage…..our second longest passage ever, passing the Galapagos run of 5 nights….whoa….we are both pretty tired and starting to just collapse when we get off watch…..after the oil cooler incident, which still is traumatic to replay, we both could not sleep for the next day or so…..now, it’s the sleep of the dead….hard to wake up for sure!!!!
Well….just 12ish hours to go…..GO MYSTIC GO…..what do you think…..champagne, a kegger and tequila shots to celebrate 🙂 ))))
Boat Stuff:
The Big Bay computer is indeed down for the count. I did remember how to use the Simrad plotter so that is what we are using. Kathy has taken over fixing the Big Bay…..she is showing it the spare computer and has her hammer laying next to it…..hey, none of my methods worked so why not 🙂 ))))
—————————————
Stats:
Position: 34 31S 175 35E
Traveled: 174nm today: 957nm traveled so far; 103nm to go; ETA to Marsden Cove around 8:00-9:00pm Friday 10/18
Course: 205M COG
Wind: 6-8 kts S
Waves: 3-6′ SSW
Speed: current speed is 7.7 SOG, has varied 6.2-8.3 kts; avg is 7.1 kts; 1700 rpm
Weather: 0% cloud this am; sea temp 62.7 deg F – brrrrrr
Boat sightings: 0 today, 1 total
Fishing: no way, too cold and we still have some bacon and jimmy dean sausage to eat 🙂 )))
Sail: down for the count
Fuel burn: 1.27 npmg, 5.7 gph slowing down yesterday certainly burnt less fuel
Hope all is well!
John
Mystic Moon
