And So We Go North

As the smaller low changed the wind direction on us, we gybed northeast. Not only did we have to do that for that low, but there are two depressions coming from New Zealand in the next week, and after much study, we decided to try to get north far enough to minimize the very strong winds forecast.

We’ve sailed northeast now and the wind is shifting again, so we’ve gybed back, to try to get to stronger winds to help us. We sailed past the Antipodes Islands, opposite Greenwich on the planet, and were heading for the Bounty Islands, but will not get that far. We will not escape strong winds, we are hoping to escape the very strong winds of this active low.

The Indian Ocean has the deserved reputation of being awful. But the Pacific can be the same, with tremendous storms. I’m quite anxious about this one. I can feel it in my chest. Even though I’m taking my asthma medications, and my peak flow number is good, still stress is a trigger, and I can feel the tightening.

I’ve reviewed my notes from my 2008 and 2016 sessions with Jean-Yves Bernot. Given that we had ice gates in 2008 and now the Antarctica Exclusion Zone in 2016, this changes whether one should try to escape north or south, and with AEZ, south option is closed off. So we go north.

Position
49° 43’S x 175° 12’E
Course
047° True
Speed
16.4
Log
15,649
True Wind Speed
24 knots
True Wind Direction
259°
Sails (click for sail plan)
Mainsail (2 reefs), Fractional Gennaker, Staysail
Sea Temperature
52°F / 11.1°C