Anticipation
Well, unless you have been here before there is nothing like the Anticipation prior to departing on a long ocean passage for the first time in a new boat.
All the preparation, is it enough, too much, what are we forgetting, mail forwarding, friends family etc… It can all add up to allot of anxiety. Add to this Raewyn is doing all the last minute stuff while I am at work.
I can get the 7 day forecast to get the picture of whats to come, but 7 days is about the limit to forecasting, especially around NZ in the winter when the Lows and Highs are marching through one after the other. Not for the faint hearted. Non the less we must keep moving toward our goal of a June 6 departure and hope we have a good weather window to sail with. http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forecast1.php?type=rain®ion=nz&tim=12 this is today’s picture, looks good for a sprint north, unfortunately we are still 2 weeks away, by then there will have been a few gales come and go.
We have great respect for the Tasman crossing as this is the 6th such crossing for us, and we have usually seen some weather each crossing, we do not expect anything different this time, but I can only dream of the constant 15-18 kt. quarterly reach all the way to Cairns. We will keep you posted, here is a weather chart for 7 days showing a “squash zone” coming from Sydney heading across the Tasman, we don’t want to see this on our departure day, as it will pack a punch http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forecast1.php?type=rain®ion=swp&tim=168
This is my office, landing on the Rockwater in Calabar Nigeria.
Brent, you must have been reading our minds, as Toni and I were just wondering how you and RW were getting along with completing the infamous (and neverending, always changing and expanding) ” to do” list(s). As we look to sea from our local beach we will be aware of you guys out there on the Tasman, and the future weather reports will have an added significance because of your journey. Will mark June 6 on the calendar! Best wishes. Don and Toni
Hi Brent and Raewyn, Good luck with the crossing. I’m sure Crusoe will look after you just as well as she looked after us, with a little bit of help of course. We are in Queensland at the moment and the weather is quite good. But as we know the Tasman is not always that easy. We will keep an eye on the weather around June the 6th.
All the best.
Cheers John and Pam
Don And Toni, How are you guys?
The too do list is ever expanding as you know, this boat has many more systems then any other boat we have owned, and some things I have not much experience with (hyd) Lffting keel and rudder, all the winches and windless is hyd, so we are learning….
John and Pam, hello, I hope you vacation is going to plan, the weather is turning to custard and we may be delayed, either too much or not enough wind in the near future, wish we had yours by the sound of it. Will keep you posted.
cc
Glad to hear you have some flexibility in your departure dates. With your sailing and aviation background, you are very experienced in reading the available weather information and planning the best route and date. Patience, as you know is paramount when dealing with Mother Nature and her cousin Davey Jones. We will be following your journey! Best wishes, Don and Toni