Like all passages, one plans them with the best knowledge and information one has prior to the start. For us we thought the ITCZ would influence this passage somewhat in terms of little to no wind in sections. So, in order to minimise the amount of motoring needed, we chose a route that would maximise the availability of wind with a reasonable sea state in terms of wave height and direction, keeping safety paramount.
Well, Mother Nature had other ideas and we basically ended up being the proverbial magnet to unfavourable conditions. First, by ending up in winds and seas worse than we wanted at the start of the passage and then today ending up in a 3.5 to 4 Kt current which, no matter what we did, kept setting us too far north and west of our destination. We eventually had to "bite the bullet" by dropping the sails altogether and turning on both engines to get out of it. After motoring all night we hope to be far enoigh south to avoid a reoccurrence.
For now though, the Southern Cross, in a dazzling night sky, watches over us, Paw Paw is surrounded in sparkles as her wake sets off the bioluminescence in the water, we have birds for company and the champagne is in the fridge as we plan and look forward to our "crossing the Equator" party!