[password] Cowboys99
[status]
:position 26 46.24s 174 52.40e
Blimey - been all or nothing so far this trip! Wild ride out of the BoI on Day 1, motoring 18 hours through calms (although the sea-state was anything but calm) for Day 2, then 20-25kts from the West for Day 3 opposing the Easterly swell to create steep, confused seas. Then last night at about 6pm the forecast front blew through with winds gusting up to 30kts before abruptly turning to the South and becoming variable in strength and direction. Several reefs applied well in advance, and with the wind from astern we settled-in for a night of shortened watches, manual steering and lots of focus. Still, we've made excellent progress and caught a Yellow Fin Tuna and a Mahi Mahi. I've never been one for sushi for breakfast, but apparently I'm in the minority. Felt slightly queasy watching everyone dipping their raw tuna into soy sauce and wasabi as I munched on a bowl of muesli! For now, the wind has dialled back to about 12 kts from the south and the sea state is approaching comfortable. We've all had hot showers, a big breakfast, and we're contemplating breaking out the Code 0. All talk so far, no action on that score yet...
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The cabin of a small yacht is truly a wonderful thing; not only will it shelter you from a tempest, but from the other troubles in life, it is a safe retreat.