Now for a more technical contribution

Now for a more technical contribution

I can sit back now and reflect on quite a journey. We have been in Opua for 3 nights and are getting quite used to the land! For us the trans Tasman journey was psychologically the big one. Never off shore for more than a few days across the English Channel or up the Queensland coast.

Stats: 10 days 17 hours, 1525.1 nm A longer journey than our advisor Predictwind estimated [9days] by 250nm.

It started with an agonizing wait of 6 days in Eden. Two fronts came through in quick succession; the latter was associated with the events of the Port Fairy race. With next to no space on the wharf and a SE wind direction life was a little difficult. A few days spent at anchor unable to get in and a couple of hairy moments on the wharf didn’t help. So we were glad to clear and leave shortly afterwards on the 11th April.

Good winds from the S with a big sea were associated with progress and we logged 314nm for the first 48 hours. Then the high seemed to catch us and we had variable or no winds for 2 days and despite being the early stages we resorted to motoring at 4 - 5 knots, including one spell of 24 hours. The left over slop and no wind was too much for ones sanity. Then the wind returned with much variability, rain and a few squalls, but the direction was N or NE.

A review of the weather routing had us some way behind their prediction and a new route with a more southerly passage advised. Anne didn’t like the heading away from our target and with light winds, so we made some northerly progress - probably the wrong decision.

We sailed on the wind for the last 4 days, not a comfortable experience. The northern tip of New Zealand didn’t get any closer especially as the VMG was at best 3 knots! The engine remained for battery charging but at least there was no problem with water or food. With the constant beating to windward our appetites were poor though mine had significantly improved from the starvation of the first 2 days. Yes the bands and drugs had not won against the motion of the seas!

As Cape Reinga closed finally a few ships were sighted, most of our journey was witnessed by no one but the occasional seabirds. The dreaded Cape Reinga is where the Tasman meets the Pacific, and now a 20 to 25 knot easterly on the nose! The expected big seas made progress difficult to say the least and spirits slumped with the onset of darkness. The Volvo came in for some help with motor sailing past the top. Spirits lifted and we started full sailing again expecting a nice reach after passing North Cape. No such luck the wind was more SE and we spent the next 24 hours beating down to the Bay of Islands. The weather was beautiful but that doesn’t help one when the line of sight distance is 75nm and we actually sailed 140!!

We arrived into Paradise Bay at 0320 exhausted but manic and now the time for our champagne! 2 hours sleep and we motored into Opua and the quarantine breakwater. The formalities were quite straightforward and not long before we were in our berth – the home for the next 7 days. Opua is great, all the services you could want and a very pretty location. However, the intenet connection is poor so we troup off to the laundry at night for the better reception.

Looking back our barometer wasn’t wrong it was an amazing high 1038! No really serious weather, just a slow uncomfortable passage. Wasn’t I told cuisers never go to windward!

Tonga awaits and we set sail on Tuesday with hopefuly a following breeze. Next post Tonga.