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Cleone - Leg 12 Day 8 - Plenty Wind Little Progress



Progress today has been even worse.  Bruce's forecast of backing winds better be right!
 
We've now had nearly 24 hours of head-winds to contend with as well as the north-easterly going current.  This has rapidly built up a steep, irregular sea, which cuts across the long, easy-going swells coming from the South East.  Forcing her way through this as near upwind as she can has not been to Cleone's taste.  When the wind is less strong, she cannot develop enough power to prevent the waves from brining her almost to a complete stop, and when the wind is more powerful, she leaps uncomfortably off the tops of the waves, burying her bow into the next sea and sending water crashing over the foredeck.  Luckily the dog-house keeps the cockpit dry, but every so often the helmsman gets a dousing.  And progress towards Cairns has been grim.  Yesterday we made 117 miles, all counting towards our target.  While not quite our worst day's total, this is less than five knots, despite using the engine.  And today's total - again despite using the engine - will be a paltry eighty miles!
 
Apart from dampening our morale, our lack of progress is concentrating our minds on what needs to be done in Cairns.  Elizabeth has her thoughts on a few last days diving before getting back to Canada; will she have enough days for all of it?  And she can't dive the day before she flies.  Will is honing his travel plans.  He's hoping to meet many friends before he departs, and to see others on the way.  But is there enough time for this, and if he's going by bus, which day does he validate his ticket?  And there is a long list of jobs to be done on Cleone.  It's almost a mini-refit.  The lengthiest and hardest work will probably be quite straightforward; cleaning off Cleone's bottom and re-antifouling it.  But there are a lot of fiddly electrical things - tracing faults in lights and the extension speakers.  These can take ages, and hunting for the right parts often involves long walks and a lot of searching; the Skipper is not passionate about shopping either.
 
And I never did get round to cleaning the Grey-water Tank.  It's still waiting for me.
Despite these gloomy thoughts, all well with us, and best wishes to everyone.  And please don't adjust your calendars.  You are right, I have missed a day out, and this is really Leg 12 Day 7 and not Day 8.  Day 7 should have been Day 6.  Ah me - another senior moment.
 
James, Elizabeth and Will
Yacht Cleone
At Sea
16o07'S 153o22'E
 
 
 



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