17 July 2010
As net controller on Crazy Horse, Andrew decided to ask for our engine hours on a daily basis. Normally we give them on our arrival on the leg declaration. He describes it as an experiment! Then last night after the listening watch at 9pm he announced two messages. The first, to sail within one nautical mile of the first waypoint to clear the D'Entredecasteaux reef at the top of the New Caledonia group of islands. We jibed and headed north to do just that and this morning we jibed again to put us on a rhumb line course with that waypoint. Most of the rally yachts are well to the south. We clawed our way to the waypoint and arrived there at 15.35pm with a XTE (cross track error) of 0.347nm. Kalliope and Ciao who we could see in the far distance also achieved the waypoint as did Liza and Thor VI who we could see astern of us. These yachts we know made the waypoint but I am guessing the others may not have thought it worth the effort. There was no navigational requirement to saiI so close to the waypoint. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see some new faces on the winners' podium when we get to Mackay. The second brief was a prize for any boat that does not have anything removed by quarantine when we reach Oz. That prize will definitely not be Voyageur's! I am dismayed at the amount of food we have to shift in the next few days but we are doing our best. What little trick will he up his sleeve for us next I wonder.....
Lunch - Greek Salad/ fruit. Dinner - Corn on the cob/mince and tatties!
Close encounters for the third time!
Yes, it has happened again. Last night on my watch of course, always is, a radar target which I had been closely watching but looking out into the blackness of the night I could see no light. At 1nm and closing fast I got David up. His navigation lights were so bad we only saw them half a nautical mile away. For the third time on this rally even though we had right of way, we had to take avoiding action and passed with only quarter of a mile to spare.
Susan Mackay