Position: 16 degrees 20 minutes South, 172 degrees 05 minutes West
Wind: 22 East South East
Speed over the ground: 7 knots
Sea: 2.5 metres
Distance towards Fiji: 174.40 in 24 hours.
Boisterous is what this is; ocean sailing is all about the sea state and last night it was boisterous indeed. We had such a big and confused sea, and the wind was 19 one minute and 27 the next, so setting course and sails was demanding indeed.
Today, shortly before we plotted our midday position the wind eased to 20/22 and the sea started to get a bit more consistent. We had lunch in the cockpit and the last of the fresh mint blew off our lamb n hummus sarnies in the 22 knots but we like the feel of the boat much more in these conditions it felt like something to celebrate - then we realised we had less than 500 miles to go - yay!
We can't sail directly at our destination so are wibbling along the rhumb line using the poled out genoa on the port side and then a small starboard side genoa when the wind is more south easterly. Andrew is VMG obsessed, as the wind should stay for another day and then will start to back to north east, go light north and maybe westerly laterly, according to the latest forecast. So we are trying to ensure we take advantage of this wind to make the best speed possible west while we can. We always expected a few days of light or head winds on this trip and have plenty of fuel aboard should we need a little engine assist. We have not needed a minute of engine since we left Bora Bora a week ago.
I have completed my short list of activities and adventures in Vanua Levu, Fiji and can confirm that the clip board will have 25 items including lots of diving and hiking, waterfalls and cultural sites and notably 'sacred prawns' (after the 'amazing' sacred eels in Tahaa. I can't believe Fiji has sacred prawns - apparently they are tabu and come when sung to.....).
In an update to the Man-flu outbreak - copious honey lemon drinks, tea tree oil, offering a wide selection of drugs and lozenges from the medical kit have made no difference to the coughing and spluttering. Dear gentle reader, I felt that we might need to prepare you for the worst, however, after a negative covid test and the aforementioned sandwich with his favourite hummus - he's now dancing to george ezra...
Note the Captain still thinks he has probably got long covid as he has had a cough for 3 days. Could be a faulty test...
I think Carolyn has overdone Bridgerton in this blog update
Distance to go approx 498.36 miles.
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