[password] nftpw4ps
[position] 01 37.43S 145 25.5E
[speed] 3.5kts
[heading] 273T
[status] We've had email client issues and were not able to send or receive email for the past two days. Bottom line the email database was corrupt and I had to download a fix over the satellite internet connection (not cheap), but it is fixed. We are still underway for Luff island, and are about 25NM from the entrance. Let's just say the sailing at these latitudes can be challenging. The forecasts (and we use four different models each time we plan a trip) are just flat out inaccurate at best. We might get the forecasted wind for 3-6 hours and then it will swing 180 degrees, drop to dead calm, or get smacked with 25-30kts 90 degrees off the prevailing breeze. It's expected, but frustrating at times. We have boycotted using our engines, because we like the challenge of sailing up here, but it is SLOW going. In the past 14 hours our average SOG is 2.7kts....with 1kt+ of favorable current. We drifted for 5 hours with zero wind and all sails down. We're not in a hurry so it is actually rather nice and on a positive not the sail changes every 3-4 hours keeps me busy.

The big news is we got to test out our Parasailor spinnaker in a 27kt gust of wind. I'm happy to report it did not blow out and we had a fast (12kts), but white knuckled run for about 15 minutes.
[weather] 80% cloud, 29C, 1007.4 baro, 5-7 kts ESE

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