13-08-15
Thursday
1600
Depart Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Engine
1691.3 hours
Winds
were light from the west as Sadiqi exited the pass. The seas were
rough and confused once out in the ocean. Sadiqi motored for a fair
while through the rough chop into the wind.
1830
Wind swung to the south at up to 30 knots as forecast.
Sailing
with the equivalent of two reefs in the main and yankee jib.
14-15
Friday (Day 1)
In
the morning the sky was grey overcast – in the South Pacific
Convergence Zone (SPCZ) again.
Wind
15 to 17 knots southerly.
COG:
230 deg. M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Noon
1200 UTC -10 hours
Wind
18 – 20 knots (T) South
Lat:
16 51.79 S, Lon: 153 30.49 W
COG:
250 deg M, SOG: 6 knots
Engine:
1694.8 hours
102
miles since leaving Bora Bora.
Nice
sailing all be it rough on occasion.
1700
Beer o clock passed south of atoll Maupihaa.
Wind
12 to 18 knots SSE
COG:
270 deg. M, SOG: 4.5 knots
15-08-15
Saturday (Day 2)
Grey
overcast skies again in the morning.
Noon
1200 UTC -10 hours
Wind
18 – 20 knots (T) ESE
Lat:
16 40.89 S, Lon: 155 36.75 W
COG:
270 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Engine:
1695.5 hours
122
miles since noon previous day.
Rolling
along nicely under clearing skies with the occasional bump from swell
rolling up from the south.
Mid
afternoon the wind was swinging more to the east as forecast. I poled
out the jib
1700
Beer o clock
Wind
14 to 16 knots (T) East.
COG:
275 deg M, SOG: 5 knots.
16-08-15
Sunday (Day
3)
Morning
– a pleasant sail overnight. I managed to get some good sleep. It
takes awhile to get into the half hour sleep routine. Sadiqi was off
the rhumb lines between islands that cruisers use, for example to the
southern Cook Islands.
Noon
1200 UTC -10 hours
Wind
16 – 20 knots (T) E
Lat:
16 00.46 S, Lon: 157 40.78 W
COG:
260 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Engine:
1695.5 hours
125
miles since noon previous day.
1700
Beer o clock UTC -10
Changed
time zone to UTC -11
1700
Beer o clock UTC -11
Wind
16 – 18 knots (T) E
Poled
out jib with single reef in main.
COG:
258 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Pleasant
sailing into the sunset.
 |
| Fiery sunsets |
17-08-15
Monday (Day 4)
Morning
– grey skies with curtains of rain and patches of blue.
Winds
swinging more to the south - decreasing.
The
wind was forecast to swing more to the south over the next few days.
I unfurled the mainsail and removed the pole holding the jib to
port. Sadiqi with full main and yankee jib in 15 knots of breeze on
the beam was romping along at a respectable 6 knots.
COG:
250 deg M, SOG: 6 knots.
Noon
1200 UTC -11 hours
Wind
12 – 15 knots (T) ESE
Lat:
15 52.62 S, Lon: 159 55.05 W
COG:
245 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Engine:
1695.8 hours
130
miles since noon previous day. (25 hours)
1700
Beer o clock.
A
very pleasant days sail. The seas were less confused and not as
rough.
The
fish were not very obliging. The cook prepared an Indian beef curry
and rice instead.
18-08-15
Tuesday (Day 5)
0345
I awoke to the sound of sails flapping and banging. Sadiqi was
rolling around in short sloppy seas. The wind dropped and swung
further to the south. I trimmed the sails and reset Smithy the
WindPilot.
Morning
Sunrise
was bright and harsh. Sadiqi seemed to be in a large blue hole with
grey clouds all around on the horizon. I could hear the rudder post
thumping in the worn bushes. Another item to be added to the ever
increasing work list for Sadiqi.
Wind
8 to 10 knots (T) SE
COG:
244 deg M, SOG: 2 knots
0830
Wind 8 to 10 knots (T) SE
COG:
244 deg M, SOG: 2 knots
I
hauled up Big Bertha - the asymmetrical spinnaker. This would be the
first time in many months, since shortly after leaving Panama.
COG:
244 deg M, SOG: 4 knots
0930
Dropped Big Bertha. Winds gusting to 14 knots.
Smithy
the WindPilot was not coping with the change in apparent wind angle
with the wind gusts.
I
did not want to hand steer.
Noon
1200 UTC -11 hours
Wind
15 – 17 knots (T) SE
Lat:
16 12.60 S, Lon: 161 44.14 W
COG:
250 deg M, SOG: 5 knots
Engine:
1695.8 hours
107
miles since noon previous day.
Nice
sailing after a slow morning.
The
winds steadily increased in the afternoon with dark foreboding
clouds.
I
reduced the mainsail.
1700
Beer o clock
Winds
20 to 25 knots SE. 30 knots in the rain squalls.
The
seas became more sloppy and rough. Green water was regularly washing
over the deck and cockpit.
19-08-15
Wednesday (Day 6)
The
wind were strong throughout the night until early morning when it
began to moderate.
Around
0400 I unfurled some mainsail to help stabilise Sadiqi in the sloppy
seas.
The
sun rose bright and clear with patches of cloud in the distance.
I
felt a little less grumpy, probably from lack of sleep, after a cup
of coffee.
Noon
1200 UTC -11 hours
Wind
15 – 17 knots (T) SE
Lat:
16 37.88 S, Lon: 163 43.92 W
COG:
245 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Engine:
1696.4 hours
118
miles since noon previous day.
1700
Beer o clock
Wind
16 – 18 knots SE
COG:
245 deg M, SOG: 5 knots
20-08-15
Thursday (Day 7)
It
was a good sail overnight.
Temperatures
were getting cooler. On sunrise the temperature in the cabin was 22
deg C.
The
water temperature was 25.5 deg C.
Saw
the plume of several whales blowing, looking like puffs of smoke on
the horizon.
1130
Wind 8 – 10 knots ESE
Decided
to haul up Big Bertha again.
Noon
1200 UTC -11 hours
Wind
8 – 12 knots (T) E
Lat:
16 58.71 S, Lon: 165 38.52 W
COG:
245 deg M, SOG: 4.5 knots
Engine:
1696.4 hours
112
miles since noon previous day.
1600
Wind 12 – 16 knots (T) ESE
Dropped
Big Bertha.
Apparent
wind speed started to nudge 12 knots – SOG 7 knots.
Had
to hand steer and use Ken the autopilot – did an admiral job.
21-08-15
Friday (Day 8)
It
was a good sail overnight.
Noon
1200 UTC -11 hours
Wind
14 – 16 knots (T) ESE
Lat:
17 24.46 S, Lon: 167 43.72 W
COG:
246 deg M, SOG: 5 knots
Engine:
1696.8 hours
122
miles since noon previous day.
1500
Winds up to 22 knots SE.
2
reefs in the mainsail and full yankee.
1700
Beer o clock
Winds
18 to 22knots (T) SE
Bouncing
along at 5 to 6 knots.
22-08-15
Saturday (Day 9)
Fast
sailing overnight in rough seas.
Winds
18 to 20 knots (T) SE. Swell around 3.5 metres.
Noon
1200 UTC -11 hours
Wind
18 – 20 knots (T) ESE
Lat:
18 03.74 S, Lon: 169 54.61 W
COG:
250 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Engine:
1696.8 hours
131
miles since noon previous day.
Passing
55 miles north of Niue.
Broad
reaching in lousy cross seas, uncomfortable motion.
Just
before beer o clock I poled out the yankee jib.
The
wind was forecast to ratchet up a few knots and swing further to the
east over night.
The
motion on the boat was a little more comfortable. The safest place to
be was still horizontal in the sea berth.
1700
Beer o clock.
Wind
20 to 22 knots ESE
COG:
270 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots.
23-08-15
Sunday (Day 10 and
11)
A
rolly sail overnight with single reefed main and poled out jib.
Noon
1200 UTC -11 hours
Wind
16 – 20 knots (T) ENE
Lat:
17 59.63 S, Lon: 172 09.33 W
COG:
245 deg M, SOG: 5 knots
Engine:
1696.8 hours
128
miles since noon previous day.
Rolling
along 110 miles from Tonga, Vava'U
Sadiqi
leaped into tomorrow.
23-08-15,
1557 Sunday – Crossed the Date Line
Lat:
18 05.40 S, Lon: 172 30.00 W
Changed
time zone to UTC +13
24-08-15,
1557 Monday
(One
way to miss most of a Monday)
1745
Wind 10 to 14 knots NE.
I
had seen on the GRIB file forecast, that I downloaded via the HF
radio, the wind was going to swing round to the north, then to the
west.
I
gybed the main onto Starboard and poled out the jib again.
25-08-15
Tuesday (Day 12)
0245
Wind was less than 10 knots from the north.
The
wind had been good up to this point and Sadiqi had made good speeds
between 4 to 5 knots. When the wind dropped the sails began banging.
I
started the engine.
The
wind continued to swing through the west toward the south. The Tonga
island was shrouded in rain clouds. Sadiqi and skipper had a much
needed rain water wash at times. By the time Sadiqi was on, what
should have been, the leeward side(west coast) of Vava'U she was
beating into a 20 knot south westerly. I kept the engine ticking over
to try and make some headway and to arrive before dark. I had to make
several tacks to windward before heading toward the very sheltered
anchorage near Neiafu.
1530
Arrived Neiafu, Tonga
Engine
1710.1 hours
Sadiqi
was tied to the fisherman's wharf when; Customs, Immigration, Health
and Quarantine officials came onboard to clear in. The officials were very
friendly and helpful. Olli from “Fagel Blu” came over to the
wharf to welcome me to Tonga. The previous day 19 cruising boats had
cleared in to Tonga.
Olli
and I had parted company in February after leaving Panama. We had
some catching up to do and a few stories to tell over a few beers. In
the evening we went ashore and had a very good reasonably priced
steak at Mango's restaurant. I met up with Sherman and Judy on “Fair
Winds” who had arrived the day before.
