Southeasst of the Chatham Islands, New Zealand 1 April 2011 44S54 178W15

We’re back in the western hemisphere. So I guess it’s not April Fool’s Day yet – or anymore (it was only April Fool’s for us for about an hour between midnight and 1 a.m. when we crossed the dateline). I think the Chatham Islands are administratively on New Zealand time…but we won’t be there till tomorrow morning. So, did we miss April 1 altogether?

So the wind did pick up – a lot – 20-30 knots most of the day. It did exactly what the weather report said it would and has moved from northeasterlies to southwesterlies and that Antarctic wind has a chill bite to it!

All’s well under these nice New Zealand made wool long johns. Only a couple more weeks to the tropics.

xoxomo

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West of Christchurch, New Zealand 30 March 201 43S59 174E23

When we left Wellington our Spanish neighbors watched us go in dismay. It was as stepping in a ring with a bull at the other end. The bull was cyclone BUNE (pronounced MBU-NAY in Figeon English). We kept an eye on it. The weather forecast predicted a southwest wind of fifteen knots. We got twenty from the E/NE. Therefore the high pressure ridge wasn’t between us and the bull – and we had set sail expecting the bull to charge ahead of us. The next fax projected the beast going between the north island and the Chathams right on our tail. We ran wee wee wee all the way to Akaroa (south of Christchurch). Before we turned into the bay, the night’s forecast showed the beast turning into a beef to the slaughterhouse heading E/SE. We followed and are now heading toward the Chathams. “It’s our second day close-hauled in a tweenty knot breeze” says Logan with his perfect kiwi accent. Margo loves the new dodger she says it’s like going to the carwash (the kind where you get to stay inside the car and watch the bubbles). Tomorrow we should be able to run-in towards the Chathams with a strong southwest breeze delivered fresh from Antarctica. It’s a good thing we bought wool underwear.

Loife is sweeet as bro!

Frank

P.S. Tonight we come back to the other side of the world. Tomorrow will be today, East to the West and still down under.

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