[Password]Udderblog17
[Position]31 56 966S 171 27 315E
[Speed]7-8k avg
[Heading]135
[Weather] had rain & squalls now beautiful 16-20 sw
[Status] We have had a good trip so far, Sea a bit rougher now we are nearing NZ. We had a big rain squall that hit us yesterday & we went from nice 20k sailing & in control to 40k with too much sail & out of control within a matter if seconds, with the chaos that followed for all of 5 mins whilst we reefed down our main & brought in the heady, the spinnaker pole unhooked itself, tangled in the sheets then eventually just as I harnessed on to go up front & get it, it jettisoned itself into the sea. Wal wanted to use it as a man overboard drill, & turn around to retrieve it but the rest of us mutinied against the idea so we watched it float off in the distance!

We are now about 200nm from rounding Cape Reinga, which we will probably do around 5am Wed morning, it's then another 70nm to round Cape Brett & get into Opua, by Thurs midday ish. All good although quite a lot more clothes on! Gone are the days of harness only.......!!

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