Voyage Updates

Code Zero is up again!

Code Zero is up again!

Yesterday afternoon the winds shifted around to the NE allowing for me to unfurl the code zero light air sail and run with it for a bit. This only held for a few hours before the winds shifted further around and ended up blowing in from the NW. I was aiming to make a course of around 220 to get a little south in my track before the Southerly winds arrived that was due later that night.

Some unexpected visitors

Some unexpected visitors

Well it has been quite the eventful 24 hours I must say.  Yesterday just before sunset I happened to go on deck to re-trim the boat when I noticed a sail off my stern quarter.  I squinted at it and realised that it was a wooden dow sailing boat like what a lot of island communities use. 

Some insight into my routine...

Some insight into my routine...

Onboard life has developed into a bit of a routine. At the moment I seem to not be getting to bed until around 1 or 2 am so I tend to nap until 9 or 10 in the morning. After that is becomes too hot to get any more sleep so I get up, send my position report to my amazing shore crew who keep tabs on me for my well-being.

Everybody meet George...

Everybody meet George...

Also last night I had some more visitors. I went on deck at about 10 pm as the new winds were filling in and I needed to re-trim the sails. As I climbed out the hatch I got quite the shock as I came face to face with a large seabird that was just perched on the rail of what is now becoming the feathered inn of the high seas. Further down I could see another bird resting as well. It was a very cool seabird with a lovely deep brown colour with a white breast, yellow webbed feet and a yellow face and beak.

Witnessing the clashing of tides..

Witnessing the clashing of tides..

Again sorry for the late blog things have been busy on-board with shifting weather patterns and storm cells. Yesterday afternoon I was able to witness a clashing of tides. I was drifting in almost no wind about an hour from sunset when my yacht Climate Action Now was suddenly getting taken along by the current at the rapid rate of 3 knots. As I watched I was dragged east into turbulent seas and closer to land that I would have liked.

A minor panic...

A minor panic...

Well I can honestly say that I am now starting to get really frustrated with all these light winds.  It wasn’t too bad before because at least it was from a stable direction and even though the boat was traveling slowly the B and G Auto Pilot was still able to keep up.  Now however it is a different beast all together. 

No sleep for Lisa...

No sleep for Lisa...

Last night ended up being a very long night with almost no sleep.  There weren't any hazards around like shipping or land but the winds just didn’t want to play nice.  I have so far been sailing with the code zero sail up on the foredeck which is great for the lighter winds as it is such a large sail however you cant sail close hauled with this sail as it has too deep a cut to it to catch the winds correctly. 

The wildlife returns

The wildlife returns

Well its been another slow 24 hours however last night for a few short hours I was able to make some decent ground with a nice 15 knot breeze blowing from the NE to ENE.  I still have the Code Zero sail up,  this is my largest light air sail and I really feel that it has been making a difference even in the really light winds and last night with 15 knots true wind and 11 knots apparent winds I was able to actually sail at 7-9 knots of boat speed.