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Mischief - A little bit more Mischief Log 8



Day 16 Thursday 15 March 2018. Lightning; fishing for compliments; sail options; Trevor caught at the wine; fresh bread!

As it happens the wind did increase in the early hours to around 15 knots so it solved the slapping problem but still the direction we can sail in still puts us above the rhumb line but at least it didn't rain - we had ominous flashes of lightning off to starboard though which was a bit disconcerting! In fact it was quite warm and pleasant, especially once the stars had made a very late appearance on stage. Hopefully the wind increase will mean we will not have a repeat of the disappointing 24 hour run we had yesterday.

The weather files this morning are suggesting that there may be a backing of the wind to east and possibly north east in a day or so which will allow us to gybe onto a good angle for our destination once we get the shift and romp home, hopefully. It has started very bright and breezy this morning and Trevor has done his thing with the fishing lines. He has also been fishing for compliments this morning given the lack of recent success on the fishy front but hasn't been too successful there either!

Dave has received a response to his email requesting advice on the sail plan from Sea Ventures and the suggestion is an A5 reaching chute of heavier material which can double as a small heavier weather spinnaker and reacher when the Code zero is out of range. Seems like a good option given the alternatives in terms of cost particularly. He is now considering what to do but Wendy has let it be known that she is concerned her eternity ring and pearl budget is being eaten into - maybe a logo of a pearl on the new sail may be a compromise? Er, maybe not.

1100 Position: 09 degs 46.5 S 130 degs 38' W C:259 W: ESE 16 knts 24 hr run: 141 nm (so not that much better but still equates to just under 6 knots that isn't that bad relatively speaking)

Distance to run at 1100 was 489 nm so we are getting there and definitely on the downhill leg. We are now up to 7 knots boat speed over the ground and sparkling sailing! So good in fact I went to have another attempt at baking bread (if that follows) given the failure of a few days ago, and lo and behold the dough has risen so will bake this now and see what happens. Fingers crossed!

Caught Trevor emptying the orange juice carton into his glass then going back into the fridge to top it up with other fruit juice. However, the carton he chose to top up with was white wine - nice try Trev, spotted!

We have bread!! It turned out alright in the end so we can have sandwiches tomorrow instead of wraps for a change. Mary Berry would be proud of me.

Luckily the wind has held constant this afternoon and we have a reasonable heading of 260 although 270 would be preferable, but the wind direction won't allow it presently. And Dave has concocted a very nice beef curry for tea so all is well with the World, well our little world at least, as we head off into a very starry, pleasant night at 7 knots with around 400 nm to go. That would put us in on the 18th sometime - good luck with that I say.

Day 17 Friday 16 March 2018. Gybe onto starboard after 17 days; bacon butties; nice pear; rusty hooks; boats starting to arrive Hiva Oa; clock goes back; crack the 300 mile mark; rissotto recipe; Oh for an Irish bar!

The wind again has held fairly constant in terms of strength during the night but as predicted the direction has backed progressively and our course has altered gradually up to 240 degrees to keep pressure in the sails and prevent a gybe in the dark. Our course to Hiva Oa is now over 270 degrees so we will contemplate a gybe first light if the wind stays in this ENE direction otherwise it's New Zealand here we come again!

It has been really dark all night even though the stars have been out - the moon has disappeared completely now and I'm not sure when it is next due to make an appearance but I doubt its before we arrive in Hiva Oa on Sunday. Our DTR is now 347 nm at 0630 this morning on a course of 272 so we are presently some 32 degrees off course.

0930 we gybed onto starboard tack and set a course of 270 degrees, much nearer to our proper course - we have been on port tack for 17 days non-stop! We were then presented with bacon butties for breakfast on fresh bread - luxury. Wendy also came on deck with a plateful of tinned pears. Three separate comments of "Nice pear Wendy", followed, well we have been away awhile! Her response was , "Thank you, but they are all mine". Take that as you will.

Meanwhile Trevor put a new hook on the rod fishing line as the existing one had rusted! The wooden lure is interesting though - it has teeth marks all along it, whether from a hungry fish or from Trevor's frustration it's difficult to tell.

1100 Position: 10 degs 123.5' S 133 degs 19.0' W C: 270 W: ENE 13 SOG: 6/7 knts

The SSB net this morning is noting leading boats starting to arrive in Hiva Oa and others very close. We remain around two and a bit days out but we are getting there bearing in mind we have no big downwind sails left. At least the sun is out and we are doing 6 knots although very rolly on this gybe given the waves coming in from port quarter.

Noon to noon run: 164 nm - a bit better reflecting the stronger winds.

1330 we put the clocks back another hour to bring us closer in line with the time in Hiva Oa at UTC-9.5 hours. We are now at UTC-8 and we will knock off the rest once we arrive. Trevor and I were on official watch duties from 1300 to 1700 so we effectively shared the extra hour with Wendy and Dave, not that it makes much of a difference as watches tend to be spent reading primarily, watching the limp fishing lines trailing in hope over the stern, and making vain attempts to prevent the mainsail from banging into the shrouds. As far as the time is concerned, why French Polynesia has to have a random half hour difference defeats me - must be something to do with being French and therefore difficult by definition? It cannot make a blind bit of difference.

1500 the wind has started to oscillate 20-30 degrees and with occasional rain showers. This is a bit of a pain as we are now off course again by 25 degrees just to keep the mainsail filling but hopefully it will swing back sometime soon.

1520 Cracked the 300 mile mark and the wind has indeed swung back and we are on a course of 275 degrees which will do nicely.

1800 as we go into the evening the sun is still up, partially as we put the clocks back, and we have just eaten a risotto I knocked up with some of the frozen fish, onion and garlic, white wine, coconut milk, sprinkling of tarragon, chopped fresh tomatoes and frozen peas. It was very nice actually so I have recorded here what I put in it just in case I want to do it again.

It looks like it may be a peaceful night again as the wind feels like its dropping all the time, and certainly not bothered by a fish as we have just brought in the fishing lines with negative results once more. The trouble is we have slowed to 4/5 knots in 11 knots of breeze and the ETA shown on the chartplotter now occasionally reads the 19th……lets hope not! We are already missing St Patrick's Day on Saturday and the Ireland v England Six Nations game with the encumbent green Guinness - that's a point I wonder if there is an Irish bar on Hiva Oa?




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