Started out like any all day carnival ride where the “attendant” forgets to press the off button on your e-ticket ride. Into the night we go.
Made some dinner, or more specifically re-heated one of the passage meal as it was too bouncy to get creative and hold on at the same time. And everyone likes butter chicken and a fresh baked batch of “hoodoo bread”.
A little radio check in with New Zealand, get an update on weather and see how friends are doing behind us. New Zealand, Gulf Harbor radio told us that our spare AIS antenna was able to be picked up by satellites. Of course I had dismantled it and put it away as the device was saying it didn’t like the antenna. So with renewed vigor, made the temporary setup less of a tripping hazard on a bouncing boat and set it backup for the duration of the journey. Also Gulf Harbor reported that they counted over 50 boats making the passage from Fiji to New Zealand on this weather window. We knew there was a lot, but thats a whole lot. Gulf Harbor Radio live streams the Ham Radio calls on their YouTube channel and records them it you want to hear Christine’s radio voice and what kind of information is shared over long range radio, search YouTube for Gulf Harbor Radio.
Night watches are more fun when you have a project, the AIS was such a project. Before I knew it the waves melted into the background noise. Were we getting used to it? Or did they magically become less chaotic? Turns out they be came organized and were no longer jarring and more smoothing and accepting our presence. Only occasionally a wave every so often didn’t get the message and soaked the boat but a much nicer motion. So much so that on my second shift I started easing more canvas out to go faster. And as day broke it was time to raise more than the scraps of sails we went to bed with. Full Jib and First 2 reefs in the main, then only 1 reef left in the main. And what a wonderful way to get the day zooming along. Turns out we covered about 194 miles on day 2.
Picture of the AIS antenna now living in the pocket of the life ring and tied on for dear life. Sometimes spares come in handy. Extra Coax cable and Antenna and we are duct tape and bailing wire’d for now.
Cheers all well on board
