[p]beale12.4
[s]
pos: 35 02.4s 173 55.2e
date: 05/05/2017 18:20 GMT+1300
Well, the big news is Cyclone Donna - christened today by the Tropical cyclone advisory centre and expected to intensify to a category 2,3 or even 4 in the next 3 days. Unsurprisingly, the Island Cruising Association departure date is postponed while we wait to see what Donna does.
So I felt like it was time to get out of the Opua marina (nice as it is) and head into the northland coast for a few days while we wait.
I am safely anchored in Orokaraka bay (south end of Matauri bay). Will stay the night here then go to Whangaroa tomorrow in daylight.
The sail was glorious. 8.5 knots in 20 kn of wind with just a genoa. Good fun. Who needs that bloody complicated mainsail?
Magnificent sunset by the Cavalli islands. I will post some photos as soon as I get internet access again. There is no reception here, so this post is via satphone. I hope it works, after all this typing.[END]