Hi All
I am motor sailing in 8/10kts WSW wind, (bang on the nose) towards Wilsons Promontory, the most Southerly part of mainland Australia in the State of Victoria. It is fine and sunny. Last night and this morning it is cold but nice and calm.
From the Island State of Tasmania to Wilsons Promontory are a series of rock islands and rocks. It is the cause for traffic separation zones to be set to govern busy shipping around the busy southernmost cape of Australia. Shipping I must dodge. To this end the “send and receive” AIS (automatic information service) is a Godsend. Showing on my beautiful B&G screen are all the ships within 20 to 25 nautical miles, how soon the vessels will be near me, how far off they will be, and what time etc.
I can see the cape in the far distant about 35nautical miles from where I am now. I am on course to clear it this evening. Wow a day time clearing … so much easier than night time as it was on my last voyage.
Today is Tuesday 29 December 2020. Xmas day was a bit yukky. Sloppy headwinds etc. But the next day was good I suppose. It certainly started that way. I had a nice following wind on Xmas Day and on Boxing Day … wonderful.
Slowly (very slowly) the favourable north east wind increased … and increased and increased. Wow … good boat speed for my little boat. Down wind too … and it increased!
21.40 hours (20 to 10pm that is) awfully dark, real dark, extremely dark. It had started raining earlier. Flashes of lightening here and there. Then the yacht seriously increased speed. 3 deep reefs in mainsail, snippet of jib, I’m doing 8 kts (hull speed is near 8kts). Onwards to 9 kts, 10kts even 11 for seconds at a time. Lightening everywhere. Rain and wind noise and sea against the yacht noise.
30 to 40 kts all North east wind pushing me. 50 kts, my new B&G wand at the top of the mast telling the wind on my dials. Maybe the wind was stronger. Who knows? I’ve got to stick my head outside to read the dials but the wash boards were in place so I wasn’t peeking at the dials outside.
Was I apprehensive? Mmmm … probably. It lasted about an hour.
Then it moderated, so it did. To a mere 25 to 30 kts. Sometimes 32 kts. I used to think that is a lot of wind. It was certainly better than it was.
Progress was good but a bit windy. Still north winds. 25/30kts and at other times 30 kts.
The next day progress was not so good. Yukky in fact. Headwinds as forecast. A spectacular front approached the yacht. An incredible roll cloud from south to north. It brought instant squall and winds 40 kts, maybe more. On the news I heard the same front brought down trees in Melbourne and tore roofs off.
I had head winds all that night and most of the day …. 25/30 kts.
But late yesterday the headwinds moderated to nearly nothing. I turned the engine on and motor sailed with the nice new engine. A head sea made yacht motion vigorous and uncomfortable, but the same yuk smoothed out as the hours wore on. Then it became calm and smooth. Nice, extremely nice.
As mentioned 8/10 kts headwind now. The sea is quiet. The Wilsons Promontory land in the distance giving me a nice ride.
Tomorrow is Wednesday 30 December. South east wind forecast. Nice southeast wind. Hooray
I’m getting there, so I am. COVID restrictions prevent me stopping en route to WA. All is good.
Kindest regards to all.
Jon