NE of Tasman Island

Progress has been dramatically slowed since we have been nailed by a high pressure system sitting north of us. Anywhere between "not much" to no wind has been the result, with a NNE arriving about 1 hour ago making us work to windward, but at least some progress is happening. In the last 30 hours we have only reduced the distance to go by 82 miles, for an average of 2.73 knots. It has been a beautiful day with the temp at 22 degrees (very tropical for me).

This morning as I flopped around about 3 miles off Tasman Island, an Aussie warship crossed my bow (I loaded Torpedo 1). I called on radio and the guy that answered had a chat, and we discovered that he was the navigator on HMAS NEWCASTLE in 1998 when they took Keir and 'Cyril' aboard after our Sydney-Hobart drama. How's that for a small world!!! Luke Grant wanted to know if his attitude was 'Oh no, not you again'.

I can't see the waterline from the deck but today I put a mirror over the side and got quite a surprise at the amount of ugly black growth around the waterline aft. I'm carrying my own little aquaculture farm around.

If I can keep some speed on, it's only 8 days to go. Next week I will be interviewed by Luke Grant on his 2HD breakfast show EVERY morning at 7.40am if you want to listen in. See you all soon.

Take care,

Tony Mowbray