Day Two En Route to New Zealand

Yesterday started out with the remnants of the seas left over from the big high pressure that had built to 5 meters. It left the ocean pretty sloppy but there was a decent southeast wind and we started out making good time. Often our first day on a passage is tenuous and though we had taken anti-nausea drugs, none of us had an abundance of energy. Gradually the seas flattened somewhat, day faded into night and I started my first watch of the trip at 2030 hours.

The wind had been pretty consistent at about 15 knots and even though we were fairly close-hauled, we were still making 6+ knots per hour. At around 2300 hours the wind began to veer more to the south and built slightly. I waited until Corie came on watch at 0000 and then I furled the mizzen but it left me in a quandary as to whether I should tuck a reef in the main. Enjoying the progress we were making a little too much, we left the main at it's full hoist. The rest of the night passed uneventfully. This morning the temperature outside was 64 degrees - the coldest we've seen since last December.

Our weather router has us making a substantial course change at around midnight tonight but we're thinking that we might start it earlier. It will put us even harder on the wind and it's not forecast to back until Tuesday. Ugh. Oh, well, we're tough.

Thanks for reading our blog, boring though it maybe. I'll get some pictures posted once we get to New Zealand and then you'll have to read the whole thing over again!
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At 10/22/2011 7:08 PM (utc) Rutea's position was 22°39.89'S 177°19.02'W

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