Position: 35 degrees, 50 minutes south; 175 degrees, 42 minutes east

The compass glows a soft, gentle red to the night sky and the stars blink back a familiar; “Hello, it’s good to see you back”.

So, here we are, once again at sea. This time heading east. 2200 miles east across a part of the Southern Ocean. And only 50 miles out we’re definitely feeling it with gusts into the high 30’s.

Earlier today we started with the jib and a double reefed main. It wasn’t 20 minutes before I decided we needed to go to the triple reef, but upon trying to set it while going down wind, the leech/battens got blown inside the shrouds. No recovery for that one but to lower the main and wait until the wind moderates to get it up again. Just as well. It’s squally and gusty and while it “sometimes” only blows 20, it often gusts to the high 30’s for ten minutes at a time. The only thing the main would add to that is anxiety, since we’re on course and making up to 8 knots. At least it’s coming from behind us – more or less about 120 degree aft. Makes for a decent ride all in all.

The forecast right now is for more of this for the next day or two but a little lighter. Then we have to watch for a low that will bring gale winds. Avoid. We’ll be watching closely for that guy and probably try and work our way above it to the north to lessen the impact.

We’re both feeling pretty good. Our dinner of smoked ham and bean soup was cooked last night and sitting in the pressure cooker on the stove and Ann had made some cornbread muffins to go along with it, so we actually had a pretty good first night dinner without too much effort.

It’s cold though. Coming on winter down here and the nights are going to be uncomfortable until we turn the corner and head north. However we’re not likely to do that for a week or two.

So for now we’re just looking to get “in the groove” of sailing 24 hours a day. Right now we’re tracking what looks to be a fishing boat on radar. It’s about 5 miles away so we mostly see a glow, but occasionally one of his lights is visible when we’re both on top of a wave at the same time. There’s no AIS, so it’s not a freighter or tanker and it just seems to be arcing behind us.

All for now.

P.S. Did you know they don’t stamp passports anymore. New fangled internets stuff. Ann was distraught that she didn’t get a New Zealand stamp in her new passport. So the nice folks in the Marsden Marina office stamped her hand for her. The stamp said: “PROCESSED”

P.P.S. We are going to try a new tracking service. It’s called “Yachts in Transit”. They have a web site where you can scroll down the home page and find our link in the right column with other yachts under passage. Click on the link and you should get our 0700 position update. The site is; www.yit.co.nz Note, there is no “m”, just the “co”