Friday, June 24, 2011

Niku Hiva; Marquesas to Kauehi; Taumotus

Colin and Sandy Cruising with Papillon
21h00 UTC 30 June
Course: 195°
Distance covered last 24hrs until 18h00 GMT: 176 nm
Distance to Taumotus: 255nm
Position 12°28' S 143°14' W
All's well on board.

Wednesday and we finally get out of Niku Hiva. The weather says that the winds will be 20 knots ESE. The rain we have been having will clear. Well after rolling around in this anchorage for a week we take the gap with four other boats. Upped anchor at 11 and out the bay by 12 and was it rough out there. The wind was 20 - 25 Knots and the sea 3-4 meters and choppy. This leg to the Taumotus is a reach and a fairly tight one for us at that too. At least the rain has stayed away. Well its Friday now too rough to sit and type yesterday... even today the keys are jumping all over the place. The winds have stayed over 20 knots and have visited 30. With the seas being so rough they break against the side of the boat and wet everything. Fortunately everything is well secured so there is no need to go crawling around outside the cockpit. Of course the next problem is to get some sleep. Once you are tired enough I guess that you don't lie awake for too much of your three hours. Cooking food is again difficult and so we turn down on to a run to settle the boat. I find it hard that people will sail in the opposite direction to us and beat into this for days on end. Our next trick is to get our timing right to get into the pass at Kauehi, as if we do not make it, we will not hang around as the next chance will be in the dark or the next day... so we will escape from between the Motus and head /bounce down to Papeete on Tahiti. Then we will need a break. Hopefully we will get through on Sunday morning and will be able to stop for a few days.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com

No comments:

Post a Comment