TAHITI TO GAMBIER ISLANDS about 890 nm
STATISTICS FOR DAY 4
Position: (can be cut in pasted into google earth): 21 26.307S 142 05.844W Distance traveled (as the crow flies): 103 nm
Distance left to travel (as the crow flies): 409 nm
Number of fish caught: Zero so far. Admittedly the line have not been in the water much
A LOVELY NIGHT FOR A SAIL
After I left you we continued on our way southeast with some gradual building of the winds. Just enough to keep us heeled over and sailing along. As you can see from the stats above, we have not averaged more than 4 knots, but with the sea state so settled, it has been a pleasant and relaxing sail. You need these calm easy days some times. It reminds you why you like sailing so much. Last night all the stars came out. The moon is rising late, so you could see the milky way in all it’s splendor.
HAPPY SAILING
The calm sailing has meant life aboard is pretty easy and the menu has improved. Fried breakfasts and cooked dinners mean, as official ‘pre-washer’, that I get much more than boring dog food. I have been nudging them to do a bit of cleaning and boat work, but after yesterdays 3 hours of toilet fixing, they haven’t quite got the motivation back yet?
WE ARE HALF WAY THERE
You may have also noticed that we are over half way to the Gambier Islands now. The brisk favourable winds, at the beginning of our passage, certainly got us to this point quickly. I am afraid we have a region of lighter winds to cross over, so our rate will slow. We may also encounter some counter productive winds further south. The humans have been chatting with cruisers anchored up at the Gambier Islands and they have been getting southeast winds at the moment. Hopefully they change by the time we get down that far.
CRUISERS NET
The humans have been using their single sideband (SSB) radio to stay in contact with a cruisers net that broadcasts every day at 1800 UTC and 0400 UTC on frequency 8173 MHz USB. It is a volunteer service that helps share information and keep track of boats underway. Very reassuring to have someone tracking us. Especially true as we have had rubbish reception to get emails, the blog and weather. Probably because my humans were too cheap to buy the best model of modem interface!
BUT ALL IS WELL aboard Spirit of Argo and everyone is enjoying the light and gentle sailing conditions. Hope you guys are having a little ‘smooth sailing’ yourselves.
You are getting this blog by the miracle of radio waves, so you will have to wait for the pictures to be added later ‘when’ we get some internet again. We have been having a little trouble sending information at the moment. Receiving seems to be fine. So we are getting your emails, just having trouble sending you guys individual replies back.
END.
