Monday November 20, 2000 en route Opua

The confused seas calmed down in the early part of the morning leaving a fairly heavy swell, which is fortunately spaced quite far apart. These are probably the result of gales in the Lows down below 40 degrees south latitude, which look like a big spider’s web on the faxes. The prognosis still seems okay for the next few days and although we will have little wind today and probably tomorrow, we are hoping for northwesterlies on Wednesday and Thursday induced by a Low which came across Australia and is now hovering in the northern Tasman Sea. The Navy model, John on Tony’s Net, the University of Auckland predictions and Des of Russell Radio all seem to agree about the relatively moderate winds (max 25 knots) in NZ over the next several days so we are ignoring the doom and gloom being forecast on the Coconut Milk Run net for the past several days (Vlad has given up listening to it). GRAY HAWK is still in VHF range so we swap weather worries and commiserate on the lack of wind locally. Judging by the giggles we hear over the radio, the kids seem to be in good spirits anyway (Shane and Sue are travelling with Natalie, 4, and Trevor, 2). Vlad had a good chat with Milan this morning. Adrian has been baking again and they have fresh bread and cake.

In the morning we were able to make five knots in a southwesterly direction with about four knots made good toward Opua, but later in the afternoon what wind there was dropped off and we turned onto our rhumb line course for Opua of 189T. We are still hoping to be there by Thursday as is AMALTHEA but it depends, as always, on wind and currents. We’ve already used up the contents of one of the 50L containers Vlad added to the diesel tank yesterday.

Last night Vlad talked to Julie (C'EST ASSEZ) after Seafarers and she warned us that there is a current of up to 7 knots in the vicinity of the marina at Opua. Entry to the marina needs to be coordinated through Russell Radio. Now of course is the time we have to start worrying about what we will do if we arrive at night – do we heave to and stand off (probably) or try for a night entry. We think that a night entry into a port we have never been in before is a bad idea. Let’s hope we arrive in daylight. Glen and Julie are in Auckland at the Gulf Harbour Marina where they have been experiencing gales due to the fronts coming up from the lows south of South Island. ALLONS’Y is headed for Auckland and should arrive some time today but the winds have calmed down somewhat according to the weather charts.

376 miles to go to Opua.  Click here for Days nine and ten