Wednesday 29th August

At Sea

20 55.970 S
160 56.603 W (at Midnight)

Everyone was up early and doing stuff to get ready for leaving. Gerry went ashore to pay the harbour master and then walked into town to check out with immigration. Abigail began to put things away and tie things down whilst I updated the blog site. Once Gerry returned with all our paper work in order he and Abigail hoisted the dinghy on to the deck and secured it down, this left us with the lines to shore to retrieve and the anchor to hoist. Gerry spoke to Noel on the boat next to us and arranged for him to cast our lines off when we were ready to leave. We had an early lunch so that we were not going to need food as soon as we got out on the sea, then with everything put away or secured down we were ready to leave. Noel cast off our stern lines which Abigail hauled on board whilst Gerry shortened up on the anchor chain and I steered the boat. Within minutes we were free of the dock and the anchor was up in place on the bow; we motored out to the middle of the harbour and went around in circles whilst Gerry and Abigail tidied up the lines and stowed them away. We motored out of the harbour and once were clear of the entrance we turned into wind and hoisted the main sail with the first reef in place, next we poled the jib out and turned off the engine – we were underway at last at 12.30hrs! The wind blew 17knots on the beam, the swell was 9ft and we were sailing along at around 6 knots – just a perfect start to the trip. We put the fishing line in the water for the sheer hell of it and of course caught nothing by the time the sun set and we put it away again. We began to roll quite a bit as night fell and it made it very difficult to sleep when not on watch. Gerry put the preventer on for the main to stop it from flopping across as we rolled. We passed just one boat at about 23.00hrs and saw nothing else all night.