Travelling North

11December

We come on watch to light winds and yankee 1 and full main up. The code 2 spinnaker has just come down and is on the floor of the yacht As soon as the spinnaker is packed we re hoist it. In preparing for a gybe unfortunately the tack line is eased and the tack of the spinnaker is released. We drop the spinnaker and re pack it on deck then re hoist it. The wind remains light till the end of the watch . There is enough wind at the end of the watch that it causes us to round up. This continues into the next watch and it is dropped and being on support watch we have to re pack it downstairs.

December 12

A day of nice sailing and nice weather just what we came for.Our watch come up to a moderate breeze and the code 3 spinnaker up.Making good speed at 12 to 14 knots.I try to push a high course straight towards our waypoint but get burnt a couple of times by a roundup and have to release the main. We sail a slightly lower course for the rest of the watch and it is pleasant sailing.The wind strengthens toward the end of the watch and during the next watch we are up on support dropping the spinnaker after the port side steering broke and hoisting the yankee after it is fixed.
Evening watch is under a beautiful moonlit sky. The yacht is powered up and moving nicely at 11 to 13 knots and more at times though quick to round up if you on are not on your game .

13 to 16 December

Another low pressure system white sails beam reaching then downwind.Then finally the code 3 goes up at the end of our watch and has stayed up with the sea flattening out and breeze dropping. Now north of latitude 38 and sea temperatures back up to 17. 800 miles to go in what has become our yacht delivery to Fremantle.
And this night finally just light to moderate 10 to 15 knots downwind under spinnaker beautiful moonrise ,wind starting to warm up as we travel north

17 December

The yacht runs on UTC but the time zones are changing constantly.
So 0400 to 0800 is now 11 am to 3pm
and 1600 to 2000 11 pm to 3 am. This all plays havoc with the mind and I often wake at dawn which means have only slept 2 hours .We were motoring due to light winds this morning due to light winds so this is delivery rather than race. The weather was very pleasant enough that foulies were abandoned for shorts plus base layer base layer jacket. Only around 800 miles left .
White sails on beam reach 12 to 17 knots and very pleasant sailing.

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