FROM 1-28. How Low To Go? Towards 45°S

Nov 06, 2005 – 0900hrs UTC

0900hrs 06 Nov 2005 UTC 40’20”S 042’06”E Ref 526

DB: dmg 110, gps 142, Start line -50 days.

Desperately slow progress – the fact that we only managed 110 miles yesterday, with everything including current apparently going with us has caused me to put on my Realist’s hat (sounds like something Charles the First might have worn, wide, raking, floppy and feathered – perhaps Cromwell’s helmet might be more appropriate though) and look a bit more carefully at the Equation. I think that the minimum distance we will have to sail to reachSydneyis about 5500 miles along essentially rhumb line courses. We have 50 days to do it. In the last three weeks or so, we have averaged less than 90 miles a day. Although this could change, wearing my silly hat it seems to me rather unlikely that we will be able to get toSydneyin time for the start. We have lost the momentum and we will find it hard to catch up. We shall keep trying, but it gets more difficult with each slow day. By the time we get toCapeLeeuwin, in about a month, the numbers will be on the wall and we will know whether we have any sort of a chance. A dramatic arrival on Boxing Day would be fun but a touch stressful in the making!

If it becomes clearly impossible, we’re at a bit of a loss as to what to do, but I think that we will head for SE Cape andHobart, perhaps to meet the S2H fleet down there for New Year’s Eve and a certain Birthday. This would add the 5thCapeand close the 2 handed circumnavigation where it began, at the Iron Pot, which has a nice compensatory symmetry. Whatever, it will be a very sad decision to have to make. Should it happen, then I think that a possible rendezvous in Recherche Bay with the BOGgers, perhaps the Pippins if not S2H’ing, Wildfire and the Tascraft mob and anyone else who cares to come down would add a touch of historical significance to the venture and give us something to look forward to. We could then all sail north to the Pot and celebrate together.RechercheBaywas where all the early explorers stopped for water and wood and a rest – there’s a long list of them and some of their stonework remains are still visible ashore.

From Rob Baker – thanks Rob and I’m sure you won’t mind my quoting you:

That low that caught you at the Barn Door came from virtually nowhere…from a 997mb low behind you and deepened quickly to 975mb when it was on top of you, and then continued to deepen to a remarkable 933mb as it moved to the south east.

A nasty….and unusual…. assignment from the Examiner.

I’ll say! And then she sent us another one! WHWDTDT?

Comments are closed.