… we are fully in a no wind zone. Glassy sea around MaRe. TWS smaller than 2 KN; STW 0.0. The 2 KN whiff of wind is coming from somewhere between E and N. Therefore I opened the wind vane angle to 80 deg to get just a little bit movement into MaRe. Boom is secured with a preventer, and the clew of the genoa is fixed with the genoa sheet and the barber hauler. Still the boat speed is below 0.0 KN.

The only thing which is constant right now, it’s the “Wind shift” alarm. As MaRe has no STW the rudders have no effect. Thus every little wind shift creates an “wind shift” alarm. However, this keeps me from falling asleep because the alarm pops up every 2 -3 min.

Until my watch duty start at 2200, MaRe made a good distance, but now ….

If the wind continues following the European model (ECMWF) then we should get again a tiny bit of more wind in an hour.

Trolling – Today with the slow speed I expected we catch something after 3 times a loss of a lure and a hook. However, no fish but a small seagull. It got entangled with it’s wing in the fishing line. Fortunately we could rescue it.

Temperature – Today another record. Only 20 degC. For me this is simply COLD!.

What an I looking for?

– Temperature of above 25 degC
– A stable wind in terms of speed and direction
– MaRe running with 5 KN through the Pacific

Latest update : As the wind was too unstable I hove to. No flapping of sails, no wind shifts. The better way to wait for wind.

We just took the reef 1 out of the main and use the potential of the 64 m2 main sail together with the genoa of 49 m2, and the small jib with 8 m2, and MaRe makes at TWS of 5.2 KN a STW of 4.1 KN. That’s not a bad performance.

I also straightened the luff of the genoa a bit to make the upwind performance a bit better.

To supervise the wind speed I set an SOG alarm. This because I don’t know if I have already the necessary feeling for the wind reaching 10 KN while sailing MaRe without a reef on the main sail.

So far a very relaxed sailing with still a reasonable speed having sailed during many days with peak speeds of 10 and above 11 KN.

Now I’m going to have a nap outside because it’s so nice there now.

I’m outside at the helm station checking the wind vane angle, which is ok.

Looking towards E I see a silver grey shiny sea with taints of a red-orange from the sun still being behind the horizon. The eastern edges of the cumulus clouds are painted as well on soft red-orange. Some of the towers of the cumulus clouds got also a splash of the red-orange hue. A reminiscene of the approaching Christmas time and the red hats used.

Then the sun peeks over the horizon. Undisturbed by any clouds. Within a very short time he is fully above the horizon. And after a quick closing and opening of the eyes, the sun is already one finger high above the border line between sea and the sky. Since millions of years always the same but still different every day.

Shortly after midnight we entered the lull.

The wind went down and MaRe’s died as well. She moves at 0530 (UTC+13) with 3 KN STW and a COG of 220 deg. The ratio of VMG/SOG of still 0.9, thus no need to tack right now. Later I’ll remove the reef 1 from the main sail to get a little bit more speed.

According to the latest forecast this should remain like that for the next 30 h then the wind is supposed to change to S. The wind waves are down to less then 50 cm; only a swell of less than a meter rolls on to her. A leisure day lays on front of us. We could start to make a swimming race against MaRe…

Let’s see what comes up.

Headaches is what I have because it’s not possible to make a plan on how to go through the lull which we reach tomorrow.

Yesterday, I did a lot of calculations and simulations on how to go through the 300 NM north-south extension of this lull. I started on the E and far on the W and in the middle but nothing was really a good plan

It’s the lull with quickly changing wind directions and wind speeds. The forecast indicates wind direction changes of sometime 180 deg with in less then 3 h. From forecast to forecast the wind pattern within the the lull changes. This suggests that the real winds don’t follow the forecast at all. Thus, it’s not possible to make a plan on how to pass the approximately 300 NM zone to Marsden Cove Marina. The only thing, which is reasonably possible is getting ideas on going through this zone.

My idea is, to try to go as much as possible towards Madsen Cove Marina and look at the weather forecast if there is a higher wind area located nearby. This means plenty of manoeuvers and changes between genoa, genoa & main sail, and gennaker. And decisions to do something can become ridiculous before the action is done.

How long will it take us to go through this silly lull? Looking at the indicated wind speeds and times I can imagine that we will have and average of 3 KN. This leads to day distances of 72 NM. Taking 300 NM as the width of the area, it should take 4 days to cross the lull and reach Madsen Cove Marina. 300 NM we normally do in 2 days…

Despite the very enjoyable sailing since we escaped on the north side of the former lull zone,
despite the good food and mood we have on board,
despite the delicious bread with walnuts I could bake,
despite the average STW of almost 9 KN MaRe runs,
despite the sunshine we have,
despite ….
I have headaches about what’s in front of us.

Part 1 of the tactics was successful. I could get out of the lull zone at the northern edge.

For most of yesterday we only sailed slowly but steadily with the Big Blue. However in the early evening hours, we were out of the lull zone and MaRe sailed with almost 9 KN. At 1945, we changed sails to main with reef 1 and the genoa fully and run a COG of 211 deg.

Just before 0400, we reach the WPT of the NW corner of the lull zone and Boh made the first course correction to 211 deg. Now at 0525, MaRe has a COG of 201 deg and heads down the western edge of the lull zone with 6.5 – almost 8 KN STW. At about 0700 the lull zone should disappear – if it follows the forecast. With the TWD shifting to E, our course will lead a bit to S. Nevertheless, if the wind shifts only to full E, tacking will be needed.

Therefore, part 2 is successful as well.

The tricky part starts when we reach 33 deg S latitude. This should be on Wednesday. Below 33 deg S and around 176 E there is a party of 2 highs and a low. Looking at the forecast, the wind direction changes every 3 hours, partially into the opposite direction. In order to reach the destination, Marsden Cove Marine in Whangarei, we need to dance through this party. I have an idea, but can’t call it yet a plan. We still have 2 days to sail, thus the party can develop differently than forecasted right now.

As for record temperatures, we have new record: 20 degC! I’m having a blanket around my shoulder and drink a warming tea. That’s needed when one sails away from the barefoot route area. Next year when heading to Japan about the same time of the year, it will even be colder. I’ll be heading into the northern winter. Now I’m heading into the southern summer.

Beside this, all is fine on board. Today we will eat the last piece of pineapple, thus the last fresh fruit. I’m enjoying a beautiful sunrise outside of the PRT side salon window. Now, the sun for the new day is still orange but it’s already fully above the horizon. It will be another nice day on board of MaRe. I’m just missing my OBM.

Wind is low. Big Blue is pulling. Waves are below 50 cm. A short but very low swell rolls on. Nothing disturbs the view to the edges of the big grey blue “disk”.

After a leisurely breakfast in the cockpit, Boh cleared up the pantry, I did and still do some IT work. Boh reads the book “Children of Cape Horn” from Rosie Swales and their epic voyage around Cape Horn on their 27 ft catamaran. I’m also on stand by to correct the autopilot when there was a windshift and write this narration.

The temperature is pleasant again but definitely not more barefoot route temperature anymore.

MaRe gets softly lifted up and let by the swell and then let down again. She moves slowly through the ocean because the wind is weak.

The sky hangs full of various clouds. There are the altocumulus and altostratus, stratocumulus as well as in the distance cumulus clouds and cumulonimbus clouds. And interesting sky to study clouds.

Since this morning we a trolling again. So far no fish. Since we left Vava’u we 3 times a fish on the hook but three times the fish could escape. Yesterday it was a pretty big marlin. Because of his size and power I could not even close the break of the reel. At the end the line snapped. We lost 2 lures and a hook but could not get s fish on board. Will we get a fish before we arrive in Mardsen Cove Marina? Donella caught in the first day already 2 tuna… The fish competition we lost…

Sailing a little bit faster would still be nice…

I could identify an escape route.
WPT01: 27 deg 20.55 min S, 176 deg 54.93 min E
WPT02: 32 deg 58.37 min W, 175 deg 01.05 min E
WPT03 is already the approach WPT for Mardsen Cove Marina.

Until WPT01 we will use the Big Blue and then the main at full size plus the genoa. Then again the Big Blue followed again by main and genoa for the final part.

Let’s see if all works out fine and especially that the wind follows the forecast.

“I want to turn around and sail N because here it’s too cold here” I said to Boh when I got up from the salon sofa to start my watch duty.

It was the last time I could sleep on the salon sofa without a blanket!

When I looked at the thermometer at the navigation desk it showed me 21 degC. Cold record!

I’m drinking hot tea and have a blanket around my shoulder, the foul weather gear ready for use.

Where is the best way to go around the lull without going too much W and being in the right position to use the northerly winds on Wednesday to make it to Mardsen Cove Marina by keeping in mind that weather forecasts have errors?

Above sentence describes the complexity of finding the right route for the next days.

As we are already in the low wind area with about 7 – 8 KN from 90 – 100deg, I try going a bit more W to not hit the 5 KN wind area S of us.

How good my first escape route is, will be seen in the late afternoon today.

I also identified a position where I need to be on Wednesday 1600. This is still 2 1/2 days down the time line with plenty of forecast uncertainties.

It’s waiting in suspense!