Some bumpy and now smooth sailing

Since our last post we had been running before a strong wind on the back of a low that had developed from the front that crossed New Zealand two days ago. It developed as a cut off low to the East of South Island and moved to a position South East of us. Fortunately the winds didn't get too much over 25 knots but the sea was rough owing to the proximity of this low. We ran briskly before it with just the head sail up for 24 hours and steered clear of the undersea ridges that can develop odd wave patterns.

The chart is riddled with undersea volcanoes, ridges and troughs that have odd notations such as "volcanic activity 2009" "dscoloured water 1983" and shoal depths with the year reported. In fact there's a whole new island at 20d 34' S, 175d 23' W, which we will not be sailing near as it is west of our planned route. I should have brought a Tassie Flag in case we find a new island to proclaim.

The wind died off during Wednesday and we are drifting north with the Assymetric Spinnaker heading for the subtropic ridge (an elongated high with little or no wind) that we hope to be able to sail through. Once across we will then be in the South East trade winds.

We also crossed the dateline at 30d 10'S on Tuesday at 1750 local which is 12 hours and 180 degrees in both directions East and West of Greenwhich England (lucky I paid attention in the spherical trigonometry lessons when I studied surveying) . We haven't changed the date though as Tonga and Fiji are aligned with NZ.

We still have the Mahi Mahi fish around us and have been spotting sea birds such as white necked petrels and masked boobies. We have stayed to the west of the Kermadec islands due to the big winds and sea which these birds nest on.

We have been generating electricity whilst sailing from a tow generator. The different bits cost me $230 and consist of an old wind generator called a wind bugger hooked up to a small outboard propeller on a stainless shaft and coupled by a 30 metre rope. The wind bugger was popular in its day with its large slow turning blades, ideal for a hydrogen system, unlike the fast turning modern wind generators.

So all bright and humming along on board.
Wayne and Kathy
At 17/05/2016 4:12 PM (utc) our position was 29°39.19'S 179°26.53'W

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