Lat: 28 degrees 55 minutes S. Long 173 degrees 15 minutes E
Wow, I’m basking in the glow of a hot super-coffee while watching an incredible sunrise on my first 6am shift! Incredible!
During the night Ryan downloaded the latest weather map using our SSB radio and it looks like New Zealand is about to get smacked by not one, but two converging low-pressure systems! Yikes! Meanwhile 400 miles north, we’ve just sailed into the fringes of a nice High pressure and things are calm and beautiful! We’re all very glad to be sailing north to warmer waters and more benign weather. After a chilly night, the air is warming up quickly, and there is a marked increase in the strength of the sun. There is even talk on board of a swim stop today to wash of the grim of a few days and get reacquainted with the creatures of the deep. We’ll see how many of the crew are into it. On the wildlife front, our resident ornithologist (sp?), Jessica Kippan, has made numberous sightings of note. Yesterday we were visited by a number of sooty terns, two gannets, and a small specimen of unknown variety but seemingly land-based origins; very out of place hundreds of miles out to sea. It made a short stop on the boat. Yesterday also brought a flying fish sighting, also by Jess, the first of many I’m sure. Still eluding the good ship Khulula is the mighty albatross, although we’re keeping a vigilant watch for the world’s largest bird.
With calmer seas, a good distance covered and sunny sky’s, everyone’s spirits are up. I can say even the most hardy crew aboard were feeling very soft after the first 24 hours of this passage. At the time of writing the last blog, I was feeling quite proud, being the last remaining crew member who’s stomach hadn’t succumbed to the violent rolling and tossing motion of the boat… well sure enough, a few minutes at the computer typing, followed by sticking my head in the icebox looking for breakfast ingredients was all it took to put me over the edge, literally! But, like all low points, it passed, and yesterday saw a marked improvement in all the crew’s general demeanor and appetite. Lunch was large, and dinner warm and tasty!