Sunday, 10/13:
We are on our way through some of the most treacherous waters we have ever been in….yikes!!!! Nervous/anxious – you betcha!!! We have both been dreading this passage since we left Panama way back last February but it was always something that was in the future so not too worry….well the future is now…..arghhhhhhh!!!!
We actually have a pretty good weather window for this area….we sure hope it stays as predicted……winds 5-20 kts and seas from 3-10′. These waters are known to be highly unpredictable with LO’s/storms developing from anywhere at anytime…gulp!! We will have winds from all directions during this 5.5-6 day, 1060 nm passage but the big swells will mainly stay out of the SW….right on our nose……fun, NOT!!!!!!
Systems move through this area every 4-5 days….LO, followed by a HI, then LO, etc. We are riding on the top/backside of a high now…..winds rotate counter clockwise, so we will have East winds backing to North winds….actually it is a series of small HI’s so we will see some SE winds before the North winds…..then on about Wednesday we will see the influence of the next LO that is leaving New Zealand hopefully way south of us…..winds will back from North to SW and could be 15-25 kts for about a 12 hour period…..and potentially some rain. After that the winds become light for our last 1.5 days.
Besides the anxieties of this passage, we have huge mixed feelings on leaving Tonga. First, it means the end of our Pacific Crossing…..wow, what an experience, we both have to pinch ourselves to ensure we did not dream this up. Second, we are on our way to New Zealand…..yea….another exciting new country for us to explore…..third, we are closer to seeing our family and friends back in the USA…..it will be over 10 months when we get back, the longest stretch we have ever been away and we are anxious to get back and catchup!!!!
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Stats:
Position: 22 27S 176 20W
Traveled: 115nm today: 942nm to go; ETA Friday 10/18 pm
Course: 204M COG
Wind: 8-12 kts E clocking to SE by this morning
Waves: 3-6′ S swell 10 sec
Speed: current speed is 7.5 SOG, has varied 7.2 – 8.1 kts; avg is 7.7 kts; 0.3 adverse current current; 1600 rpm
Weather: 20% cloud cover; sea temp 74,5 deg F
Boat sightings: 1 today, a cargo ship
Fishing: not started yet
Sail: not up yet
Fuel burn: no reading yet
Hope all is well!
John
Mystic Moon
Great to hear from you all. Don’t always reply but the New Zeland made me think. Jerry has sold his vintage race car to a man in New Zeland and is getting ready to ship it. What the Internet opens up to th world. Enjoy all York emails. Take care see you sometime. Kathy and Jerry
Wishing you safe and not too uncomfortable travels…