day 4

The conditions of day 4 continue from the conditions of day 3, because of course, day 4 starts at midnight. On land, the day as you think about it starts in the morning when you wake up. but on a trip like this, you cannot trust that the wind will necessarily hold strength and direction. so you need to wake up to check on things, and hence are aware of things at all times of the day and night.

The first log entry for day 4 at 0035 "nearly at the latitude of Auckland" and 0150 "now crossing internet cables to Australia" and at 0405 "good progress. hour average 3.47 and heading for cape reinga"

At 0600 I noted the wind had picked up a bit, and at 0615 I put a reef in, because Cleo was shuddering. It was also raining. The last forecast I had received, on wednesday (day 2) had said a front was passing the north island on thursday or friday, so this was probably it. At 0635 I checked our heading, and it was now sailing 254 degrees - west south west, when we should be heading north! I eased the sails and reset the self steering so we were heading north west, good enough for now, given it would be light in an hour, and was still raining a bit.

At 749 I realized I had failed to receive the 0730 forecast. But later in the morning, listening to the BBC World Service, broadcast out of Auckland I got a very vague forecast. It only mentioned wind direction and not strength, but hadn't changed much from wednesday forecast.

There was a bit of a clear patch in the sky and this grew and the wind strengthened. With jib and full main I was racing along at 5 knots.

At 1350 I got a snatch of forecast! right at the end, not anything useful, and it was too scatchy to make out, but I had the signal. While in Able Tasman, I'd mentioned to Jim that I'd been having trouble getting forcasts. In nelson there is a channel that broadcasts the forecast continually, and then the current wind measurements of various locations in the area. So I'd stopped listening for the scheduled forecasts, but it seems I was behind a hill and not getting the continual forecast now. Actually, just as I was talking to him I realized it was the scheduled time, and turned on the radio, yes the scheduled forecasts where still coming through. The next day he gave me a note with the times and channels by area on it. It seemed a bit much at the time, kind hearted, but sort of implied that I didn't know that stuff... however, that note turned out to be quite useful and is now taped to the wall. He had written that Kaitaia was channel 71, and this was what I had gotten the scratchy signal on. (I had passed Auckland already, Auckland has mountains to the west, which would have blocked the signal, plus I was very far out)

At 1730 I heard the signal, but mostly far too scratchy to make any thing out. some times it would phase in and I'd hear a voice talking about the weather... but if I didn't hear the start of that bit, I didn't know what area it was talking about.

At 1930, shortly before sunset, the wind changed, more south. I messed around setting sails differently, trying to out things with the self steering. I tried with just the main up, but the waves were pushing the stern around, and then if we went to far, we'd get stuck there, drifting sideways without enough forward speed to turn back. Eventually I put the jib back, polled out, and then realized a control line had slipped on the self steering and that was probably the problem. Continuing at 5 knots, a great pace today! I estimated that if this continues, I'd be passing cape Reinga around mid day tomorrow.

At 2130 I got a forecast clearly! it said pretty much the same thing as the previous one... but of course I knew that now. Around the time I got around the cape it was to change to south east, not ideal because I'll be wanting to sail to the south east at that time. but it could be more east? I picked the time for my passage by waiting for an approaching high, which should create south westerlies, then turn around to south easterlies. as its turned out, it's been mostly on the beam, so I think you could have sailed from the far north to golden bay just as well this week.

Also, at the start of the forecast, it said something about the corona lockdown. Something about "recreational boating must stop" I didn't catch it all because it was at the start and I was still messing with the radio settings then.

The wind held and I raced towards cape reianga into the evening.