[password]quitox
[position]29 00S 172 59E
[weather]Sunny and cool. Wind 12kn S. Seas 2.5m @ 8sec from the S, 2.5m longer period from the E. 1.5m wind waves from the S. 1015mb.
[speed]6.1kn motorsailing with full main and staysail. Just returned to a port tack and turned on Yanmar the Magnificent to help SCOOTS head more S.
[heading]200T
[status]We reached our farthest point west 28 12S/171-12E midday yesterday, where we tacked (now on a stbd tack) and began heading what we hoped would be SE. What we were able to make, with the wind and sea conditions, was ESE, emphasis on the E. The forecasts predicted that the Low would move west during the day, creating another squash zone, and then slowly rebound to the east. Indeed that happened: we entered the squash zone in the afternoon, when the wind picked up to a steady 20 knots, and the seas rose to about 2.5m. Not particularly comfortable, but nothing excessive. We saw a couple of gusts to 23 knots, but nothing higher. The wind began to ease overnight to the 12-14 knots it is now. We're done running from the big Low, and riding through squash zones. Now our goal is to reach NZ - which is basically due S of us - with two more days of S wind to contend with. The weather has been absolutely spectacular on this entire passage so far: blue skies and starry nights. I'm still hoping to see that albatross.
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