Vuda Marina, Viti Levu to Brisbane Australia
1,709 nautical miles covered.
Crew is Andrew Schnier, William Farrell and James Gurr.
June 7 - Leave Vuda Marina at 1:00 pm after fueling and easy Customs/Immigration checkout. (As a result, all entries for this log are for 24 hr. periods running from 1:00pm of the day noted to 1:00pm the following day.) Weather is clear and warm with moderate seas in protected waters inside reef system of Viti Levu and winds are 16-20 knts. Winds on the nose so we motor to entrance to Navula Passage to exit to the ocean to begin our sail to Australia. Big low in Tasman Sea is generating high winds and very high seas down there, so weather routing service tells us pass North rather than South of New Caledonia before turning Southwest to Coff's Harbor, Australia, which is our intended check-in place for Australia. Ocean looks very rough from the inside passage as the seas break on the reefs on either side of the Navula Passage entrance, but the entrance itself is quite calm. We reach it towards the beginning of an outgoing tide and our exit to the ocean is effortless. Ocean does not have the sizeable swells we expected and they are more on our beam than aft as we begin our more or less downwind sail West towards Vanuatu. Although swells increase a bit as night falls, weather throughout the night is not bad with reasonable seas and swells and occasional periods of "fluky" winds. We're making more or less 5 knots on average with only our single reefed genoa jib up. Conditions continue to improve through the day of the 8th, but we have discovered a problem with our furling drum which we will have to analyze and try to correct tomorrow. Our autopilot stopped working shortly after we exited the Navula Passage, but greatly improved rudder adjustment makes hand steering actually easy in these conditions.
Special treat was food that I purchased one of the last days in Fiji. Bought three packages of what was billed as "shredded cooked aromatic roasted duck". Turned out first one I opened was not shredded, but just a boned roasted aromatic duck that was all meat and delicious. First night I reconstituted Chinese fungus and Shitake mushrooms, stewed them with soy sauce and sherry, warmed duck cut into bite sized pieces with black bean sauce and sesame oil and then put the two together to serve as a stir-fry on top of bread and butter. Too rough to use my rice cooker.
After 24 hours we have covered 117 n.m.
June 8 - Conditions continue to moderate during the day and winds move more to the beam in the middle of the afternoon allowing us to increase speed to an average approaching 6 knts. Still under single reefed genoa. No main. Good conditions continue through the evening with moderate seas and wind direction which allows us to sail the forecast course to pass just South of Eratap, Vanuatu. Winds begin to veer to the South during my midnight to 3:00am watch making it difficult to maintain desired course. Had cheeseburgers, linguine and fresh okra with chopped tomato and chiles for dinner. During William's 3:00 am-6am watch wind direction continues to move to South and we wind up in irons with William trying to sail an impossible course. We're all up and with an assist from the engine we get out of irons and proceed now a little South of course to accommodate wind shift. These difficult winds continue during the day with a little rain and increasing seas making for a less than ideal passage and we wind up about 10 miles South of our desired course at the end of the next 24 hr. period (1:00pm 6/9).
We made 130 n.m. nonetheless which is pretty good under the circumstances, albeit somewhat off course. Can't figure out problem with furler drum not lining up correctly, but it is functioning. Autopilot is working again (problem was tripped breaker), but it doesn't like the downwind conditions and can't be used without constant breaker tripping.
June 9 - We struggle all afternoon to stay on a course that will close the Southerly gap and get us to our intended point to pass South of Eratap, Vanuatu. Weather is cloudy, wind is moderate, and seas vary from light to moderate. We wind up having to tack back and forth across our course line late afternoon, all night and into the next day, but we're making pretty good time and helming is generally not difficult. We manage to get an updated weather forecast on my Inreach from WRIX and conditions for our remaining passage are predicted to be favorable. The morning of June 10 is generally unremarkable weatherwise except that the skies remain cloudy with intermittent light rain. We continue having to tack. Just before 1:00 pm we engage a substantial squall with considerable rain, but it also brings a change in wind direction which is favorable and we tack again right after it on a course that might (I did say "might") bring us back to our intended course line and allow us to once again follow it. We'll see. To be continued in next day's log.
Distance covered for third 24 hr. day is 132 n.m. (8759 total miles from PGI)
June 10 - As evening approaches weather deteriorates badly. Just after 6:30 pm we are deluged with rain, thunder and lightening and strengthening wind and seas. Whole night is a nightmare of pouring rain, confused large but predominately following seas and winds generally around 19 knts apparent, gusting to 24 knts. My newly re-sealed aft cabin hatch leaks, but not considerably. Wake up to a cloudy day with continuing somewhat higher winds and seas, but generally dry, only to learn that the furling line parted during the night. Need to get a remedy for that if we are to continue to Australia. By mid-morning we are passing between the two major Vanuatu islands, sun has come out, seas and winds are down and we have a temporary fix for the furler. Phew, big sigh of relief. With light winds and the need to pass between the Vanuatu islands I turn on the engine at 11:00 am and we motorsail comfortably with fully reefed jib and engine at 1,800 rpm.
Distance covered for fourth 24 hr. day is 135 n.m. (8894 total miles from PGI)
June 11 - Just around the start of this 24 hour day (1:00 pm) the wind drops to just a few knots and the seas subside to almost nothing. We pull in the genoa and motor in very calm conditions all day with just a bit of rain here and there for a few minutes. After dinner it's so calm that I can turn on the autopilot and for the first time since we left Fiji night watch is a pleasure. Calm seas, no rain, no wind, and engine and autopilot driving the boat. I actually read my Kindle on watch. At 6:00 am or so on the 12th the wind comes up and we turn off the engine and autopilot, deploy the double reefed genoa and are able to sail on our course to pass to the North of New Caledonia. We had initially intended to pass South of New Caledonia but WRIX reported strong conditions on that route after passing New Caledonia and recommended passing North instead. Seas are modest and at present at 9:15 am it's very pleasant easy sailing.
Distance covered for fifth 24 hr. day is 129 n.m. (9023) total miles from PGI)
June 12 - Skies are alternately cloudy and sunny; more the latter than the former, but no rain at the turn of the 24 hr. period at 1:00. Moderate winds and seas allow us to sail at 5.5 knts or better on our course line for the North end of New Caledonia. Rest of the day is uneventful. Moderate winds and seas as predicted through the night and into the morning. As 24 hour period ends (1:00 pm on the June 13) wind shifts to East from SE as we pass Petrie reef on our way around the North end of New Caledonia.
Distance covered for sixth 24 hr. day is 141 n.m. (9164) total miles from PGI)
June 13 - Skies are cloudy and seas a little elevated from directly behind us with East wind as we sail towards passage through reefs at the N. end of New Caledonia to get to the point where we plan to turn SE to Coff's hbr. Australia with plan to put boat up for sale near Sydney. We expect to reach that point around 4:00 am June 14 and have asked WRIX for an updated forecast. Have rack of lamb dinner with left over mashed potatoes and corn and all's right with the world. Expect to exit New Caledonia reefs at around 4:00 am on the 14th and weather is nice as I try to get some sleep before my Midnight-3:00 pm watch. Can't sleep but more or less enjoy my watch as my planning for exiting the reef system is paying off and we are able to sail the course I've laid. As the watch progresses I realize that we won't exit it until the next watch, but my helming has paid off and it should be easy peasy. UhOh! Should never say or think that. Bill is rapping on my hatch to wake me up in the middle of his watch, which follows mine, to say we've been hit with a big squall and he can't control the boat. Couldn't happen in a worse place, surrounded by reefs with only one safe path out. Torrential rain and winds over 35 knts. do make for a wild couple of hours but I am able to control the boat (with the help of the iron jenny (the engine) and keep us on the exit course to avoid the reefs. 2-3 hrs. of wet torture later the squall subsides, leaving behind some really big waves and damage to our stack pack, but the boat is otherwise intact and all of us chastened a bit I think. When the remnants of the squall really leave the wind does too and we have to motor towards Coff's Harbor. Good news is that the sun is out more than in and seas are subsiding.
Distance covered for seventh 24 hr. day is 125 n.m. (9289) total miles from PGI)
June 14 - Afternoon is sunny with no appreciable wind and subsiding seas, albeit the occasional leftover from the squall or some other system. We tie up the stackpack to temporarily address the damage caused by the squall and we are motoring comfortably at 1,600 rpm. Unfortunately, by tying up the stackpack we preclude use of the main. We motor through the night in similar conditions. By 7:30 a.m. winds are up (18-22 knts. apparent)and somewhat sailable so we shut down the engine and sail with double reefed jib and are able to average over 4 knts. on a course which is more or less on target for Coff's Hbr. Alternately cloudy with some drizzle to sunny through 1:00 pm. Air is getting noticeably cooler. Wore sweatshirt on watch midnight to 3:00 am (6/15).
Distance covered for eighth 24 hr. day is 116 n.m. (9,405) total miles from PGI)
June 15 - Continue to sail close hauled more or less along our adjusted course line to Coff's Hrb. with double reefed jib in moderate seas and winds with occasional higher swells from earlier disturbance. Same conditions continue through the night with swells and winds subsiding somewhat in the morning of the 16th. Temperatures even cooler now during the day as well as at night and wore sweatshirt on shift at night again. Winds pick up a bit but are still moderate at Noon while wind direction veers somewhat during morning but still allow us to sail a favorable course and to slowly close with our plotted course to Coff's Hbr. We should pass last reef obstacle with room to spare without coming about or using the engine if we can maintain our heading. Forecasts for next two/three days in advance of us seem favorable (for the moment of course-that's why the call it a forecast).
Distance covered for ninth 24 hr. day is 109 n.m. (9,514) total miles from PGI)
June 16 - Lovely weather with clear skies, moderate seas and winds, making good time. Same continues through the afternoon and early evening, but when I come up for my Midnight to 3:00 am watch its has gotten lumpy and the wind is up. Wind is between 18 knts. and 25 knts. all evening and into the morning, but abates to lower after 9:00 am. Then increases again around 1:00 pm, but seas remain more or less moderate. Kryss warns that we may have to motor the last 500 miles, but right now wind is up and favorable.
Distance covered for tenth 24 hr. day is 119 n.m. (9,633) total miles from PGI)
June 17 - We receive multiple different weather forecasts for our present location, from mid-twenties winds to dead calms. We get some gusts and building smaller seas shortly after 1:00pm the beginning of this 24 hr. day, but by 3:30pm winds are way down and we start the engine and motor sail with a low rpm engine boost (1,600rpm) and are making over 5 knts. on our course line with the double reefed jib filled, so for the time being we will stay with this. Shortly after I made the foregoing entry the wind picked up and we could sail our course so we shut down the engine. Sailed through rest of afternoon, night and morning on our course with moderate winds, except for a short period during my watch when winds got fluky. Cloudy and rainy when we wake up but we're making good time. Wind is lightening up so I turn on engine as a boost around 9:00. Around Noon wind is dying and what is left is on our nose so we roll in rest of jib to save it from flogging. Wind picks up again around 1:00 but it's on our nose and we can't make a sensible course adjustment so we are motoring for now.
Distance covered for eleventh 24 hr. day is 123 n.m. (9,756) total miles from PGI)
June 18 - Motoring at 1,800 rpm making over 5 knts. average in light seas and light headwinds. Cloudy, rainy, cool. Sh-t hits the fan in the night. Major low sends high SE winds and significant swells to our port forward quarter and we can barely make headway. At 1:00pm the forecast is for this system to remain with us for days. We will probably divert to Brisbane for check-in, both for safety and for comfort. Skies are clear but weather conditions are on the brink of dangerous.
Distance covered for twelfth 24 hr. day is 85 n.m. (9,841) total miles from PGI)
June 19 - Conditions remain miserable with strong S/Ely winds and swells. We divert to Brisbane. Wind is generally 20 knts or better and waves/swells vary from 5 ft. to 8 ft. We cannot raise either main or jib since main is constrained by damaged stack pack temporarily held in place by lines wrapped around main on boom and conditions are too dangerous to risk a crewmember going out to bow to manually pull out jib due to damaged furling drum and broken furling line. I consider the conditions to be dangerous due to the fact that we cannot sail, but the boat handles the conditions really, really well. Never in danger of being rolled over or broaching even thought it seems like it is in danger of both on a regular basis. Different story if the engine were to fail for some reason.
Distance covered for thirteenth 24 hr. day is 119 n.m. (9,959) total miles from PGI)
June 20 - Very difficult conditions continue for entire day as on the previous day. Don't register mileage at 1:00 pm.
June 21 - Enter Brisbane outer big vessel channel at 2:00 am and arrive at Rivergate Marina at 1:00 pm. with a major sigh of relief. Border Force meets us on arrival to check us in. Turns out that I was supposed to file a form for arrival 96 hours before arriving. Thought I had done this in Fiji, but Border Force says they have no record and they say they are conducting an investigation for violation of the governing statute. They read me my rights, they make me acknowledge all kinds of inculpatory waivers, put all kinds or relevant documents in evidence bags, record the interview. etc. It's just like I was going to be charged with a major felony. All the stuff you see on TV or in real life concerning police interrogation of suspects if you're a criminal law practitioner. They finally clear us for entry subject to Bio Security Inspection, which takes place the next day when they make me discard all meats in freezer and fridge, all rice and lots of other unopened vacu-sealed foodstuffs. Welcome to Australia.
Distance covered for combined fourteen and fifteen 24 hr. days is 130 n.m. (10,089) total miles from PGI). From entrance channel first buoy to marina is 48 n.m., so I am assuming that between 1:00 pm on June 20 to 2:00am on June 21 we covered 82 n.m. at sea, which under the circumstances which sounds pretty reasonable.
June 22 - July 3 - Made arrangements for boat to be listed for sale at The Boat Works, Coomera, Australia and for boat to be sailed there by broker after I left to the US. Made an aborted attempt to do that with one of the brokers on July 2 and got the closest I’ve ever gotten to losing my life sailing as channel to the ocean that broker said was navigable turned out not to be in very, very strong conditions and we briefly ran aground in exit channel with substantial rollers from the ocean threatening to turn us over. With 63 degree water, very boisterous conditions and no easy means for rescue, I doubt we would have been able to get into our life raft or survive in the water for very long if we had gone over. When waves lifted us off the bar we back-tracked and ultimately returned to Rivergate Marina.
Postscript. Receive official correspondence from Australia Border Force after I got home that I was guilty of violating their statutes relating to giving 96 hrs. prior notice prior to arriving but that no penalty would be assessed. Under the relevant statutes the penalty could have amounted to many thousands of dollars, so huge sigh of relief at that.
Seems like our days of cruising with Duet are done as I expect that she will be sold in the ensuing months. Our 13 years and almost 20,000 n.m. sailing her was a great experience, and I hope that her purchaser enjoys her as much as Kryss and I have.