[p]pjr4728
[s]
pos: 42 37.58s 174 27.77w
sp: 5.2-6.0
h: 218t
w: 13-18kn(t) NW, cloud 2/8, SS 1-1.5m N
d: 17/12/20 13.29 GMT+1300
Well the stay in Napier was longer than expected, waiting for very strong winds, particularly around Cape Turnagain, Castle Point and across Cook Strait, to abate.
Given the delays and Christmas commitments (as well as a desire to have Windchase close at hand to give her some cosmetic tlc in the New Year!) we have deferred our return to Nelson and are instead heading straight to Christchurch.
We departed Napier at 0830 Tuesday morning for the 340nm passage. For the most part, winds have been pretty light entailing a fair amount of use of old Perky, although it did kick off a bit around Castlepoint. Fortunately it was pretty short-lived and only rose to 35kn for a couple of hours about 10nm offshore, thankfully well short of the 70kn being recorded at the Point itself the previous weekend!
It was then motorsailing again much of the way to Cape Palliser at the SE corner of the North Island. Passing there at midnight last night, we were blessed with awesome winds to shoot us across and away from the Cook Strait in double-quick time!
The sea is still being fairly kind from behind us and while the winds have slackened as per forecast, they are also in our favour. We are just passing Kaikoura. Not that we can actually see it, as we are about 40nm offshore so we get better wind!
They are forecast to pick up again this evening (swinging to NE but still from astern), so we should arrive tomorrow morning around 9-9.30am.

Anyway, nearly there!!

TTFN,
S/V Windchase

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