I arrived here late yesterday afternoon after a hard sail from Cape York: no wind; too much wind; boom fell off; loss of solar charging and use of the mainsail. None of these were permanent. I fixed them underway, and the mainsail didn't need fixing, I just tried to reef it in the wrong sequence and almost pulled the Tides Marine luff track off the mast in thirty knot winds.
Nearly the last words in the passage log are about sorting out GANNET and rowing to shore today. At 10:30 a.m. GANNET is sorted, but no row is going to take place until the wind stops blowing twenty knots. Because of big tides, you have to anchor far offshore of the Darwin Sailing Club. GANNET is more than a half mile of white-caps from a hot shower, fresh food and cold drinks. Perhaps close to a mile. The wind has been adversarial for a quite a while. I hope it backs off soon.
Here are our daily runs from Bundaberg to Darwin.
Those from Cape Grafton to Cape York were day sails, as was the last day to Darwin. May 16 was to noon of the day I left Bundaberg. June 6 to noon of the day I left Cape York.
The total Bundaberg to Darwin is 1903 miles. We have now sailed 3271 since leaving Opua. 9679 from San Diego.
6,000 more and we’re done for the year.
I have a lot of email to catch up with and if you have written me in the past month, you will eventually get a reply.
The passage log will be posted in time.
Right now I’m a bit weary.
