[password] radioactiv
[position] 36 48.570S 174 38.762E
[weather] Baro 1028. 0% cloud cover
[speed] In marina
[heading]
[status] Our first YIT test update went through like a charm, that was testing our onsatmail account was set up and working (job done, cross that off the list).
Now we are testing our Satellite phone connection. We?ve luckily managed to keep the same Sat phone number from our previous two seasons - we use an Iridium 9555 Satellite phone to send our YIT updates while on passage (most people these days have an Iridium Go, which is kind of like a wireless router but one that uses Satellites instead of land based broadband infrastructure. Anyway we have a pre-pay Sat phone sim card, which expires every 6 months, so if you don?t top it up it dies and you have to go get another sim and then top it up (all more cost right?). Because of our delay leaving Fiji last season due to our mainsail tearing, we had to top up our sim card, and the silver lining of that is our sim card didn?t expire. whoop! whoop! here?s to little wins!
So it?s the 8th of June here in Auckland, it?s cold, like 10 degrees cold. We?re ready, scratch that, we are desperate to leave for Fiji?s warm azure waters and sunshine. All we need is the weather to play ball.
Every morning we review the different weather models and apps; Metvue, Predict Wind, Windy and at the moment every morning is tinged with disappointment - June is racing by and it?s only going to get colder, and the models are not aligning which doesn?t offer a lot of confidence for us to depart. When the weather models don?t align it?s hard to know which one is right, and if you make a call and leave based on one, but end up with the weather from the other, well? let?s just say on the nose wind and big swells for the first three (very cold) days doesn?t sound like anyone?s cup of tea.
This morning is Sasha?s first official day of not working, after over 7 months of computer screens and business (thanks again Foodstuffs - you are awesome!). Sasha now has to take off her project manager hat and put on her Chief Naval Gazer hat. There is a lot to do; provision the boat for 6 months, organise passage breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, get the communications sorted (ticking that box right now), organise the customs and immigration paperwork and advanced notice for NZ and FIJI customs, clean out all the excess surplus weight on MOONFISH (yes that means get the work dresses and high heals off the boat and replace with jandals and togs). And after all that she had to figure out if she?ll have any money left over to buy an icy cold, refreshing, golden-amber coloured, beer at Va and Josie?s epic Musket Cove island bar. Priorities right?
Super-Mike has been hard at work getting MOONFISH ship shape for passage, new anchor winch installed (talk about B.O.A.T - Bring Out Another Thousand - or 4!), Watson designed brand new aluminium tillers for the boys to play with as we sail up (we are all excited about those!!!), engine services, head services, Antifouling and prop/rudder prop-speeded, new beanbags (an essential item), new BBQ, new furling system for our screecher/code0 (thank god, as it was always a little ?life and death? trying to furl in those beasts of sails with the old system), new saloon windows, and more? much much more. We?ll say it again owning a boat is an expensive but thoroughly rewarding experience.
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