A comparatively quiet day – slightly smaller waves and wind.  In fact quite a lot less wind.  Stayed goose-winged as in the previous days on a course of 250 degrees with 12 – 13 knots true wind from ESE.  Matt went up to re-attach the sail protector on the spreader, which he had previously removed when he was sorting out the strengthening for the shroud.   I got the photos sorted out for the February web page and will hopefully do more work on that over the next couple of days.

As the wind backed - or is it veered in the southern hemisphere? - we bore away to 240 and stayed on the same gybe all night running dead down wind and then, after checking the grib files for the wind direction over the next 48 hours, at 7 this morning we gybed.  Well actually the gybe was from 7 – 8 am!  A gybe on this boat is a major manoeuvre especially with all the preventers, anti chafe stuff and sheer size of the pole, which has to come inside the staysail.   Another very pleasant night star gazing!  Now sailing on a course of 265 degrees with round 12 knots of true wind from the ENE.

24 hour distance: 164 miles   Position:  S10.33.22 W131.50.142