I dropped my mooring line this morning at 9am and half an hour later after motoring out past all the ICA Yachts that filled the mooring filed in the last two days. turned off the motor and began the 1000 mile sail from Port Vila to Bundaberg Queensland. Today and tomorrow the winds are predicted to be light and indeed mostly we have only been managing just on 4 knots. Frustratingly the wind is almost directly behind me, an easterly so the headsail doesnt fill properly and flaps and bangs about. I poled it out for a while and then the wind direction altered to render that plan redundant but now 2 hours later the wind seems to have returned to its former more easterly quarter and the banging has started again! ...
Its a lovely day at sea, half a meter swell and wind only 8 to 10 knots, lots of sunshine.
An hour ago I got a huge shock to look up and see four whales only 50 feet from the boat. They were moving slowly in the same direction as I was, they were very close together and blowing intermittently. Just after I had passed them they lifted their tails and disappeared, and I nervously watched round the boat to see where they might have gone. Ten minutes later I saw their blows again well astern, so I was glad we were clear of them.
Right now Vanuatu has vanished behind me but in 7 hours have only made 30 miles.
I think the voyage will last ten days.
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