and we are off.

[wheels 543]

About to raise anchor and leave Tga bound for
Marlborough. The weather is not the best over all the trip and I am a little worried about what may great us when we nose out into the Cook Strait, but I think we still have the best window that is going to be available for at least another week or maybe more.
It blew like nuts last night and the wind has died a lot, so I expect it will be a rolly one across the the Cape. Oh well, you just have to take what you get eh.

[Battgirl 23]

Good luck Wheels and Dawn. Have a safe trip if not a comfortable one.

[Island Time 1,230]

Safe trip wheels:-)

[erice 732]

fingers crossed

 

right now, taiwinds

 

best guess +24 hrs, more tail

 

guess +48 hrs, on the nose

 

could be +72 hrs, back behind

 

perhaps +96 hrs, reach then head?

 

they won't provide pretty pictures for 5 days ahead

 

for anyone who hasn't played with this

(click earth, then >> for 1 day jump)

 

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/orthographic=-183.99,-39.81,2048/loc=176.036,-37.410

[Beccara 25]

Good luck and stay safe! Hope it's not too rough for you

[Island Time 1,230]

He can always go into Gisborne or Napier - looks to me like he'll Have to...

[Fish 0]

Been trying to work out the current weather. Forecasts are all over the shop. I.e. Changing from day to day for 2-3 days out, which a makes planning a weather window complicated. I'm starting to think that small cyclone between here and Noumea is really screwing up the normal patterns. Nothing is predictable at the moment, have had 140 mm of rain the the last 30 days, accept there is supposed to be a drought.

Hope Wheels trip goes well, the current pattern looks like there is nothing serious for a bit, but IT's plan B is a good plan B...

[erice 732]

after 1st 24hr

 

actual is tracking forecast

 

and as yesterday's forecast 

 

at +48hrs the winds will have clocked round 180 degrees and make rounding east cape rough

 

3rd day still a reach along hawke's bay

 

4th day still strong NW blowing down through the straight

 

but new for today is that the forecast for the 14th shows a 180 shift to a SE tailwind up the straight

 

the nasty to the right is where cyclone ula may be by then...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11571656

[Steve Pope 243]

I have found windyty to incredibly accurate out to 7 days, plus it has a range of overlays.

[erice 732]

morning of the 13th currently looking a good time to round palliser

 

the NW dies about 9am

 

before the SE builds about 4pm

 

as IT says above

 

might be a good idea to nip in for more gas and wait for the window...

[SloopJohnB 323]

I no longer in Hawkes Bay to have a beer with Team Wheels, like their north bound trip.

[wheels 543]

Hi folks. There has been a slight hickup in the plans and we are now in Gisborne. We left Tga and had a great sail to White Island and on toward the cape. As KM said, about 3hrs before Cape Runaway, the wind died. Strange as it was actually supposed to pick up and I really wanted to be around before it got as strong as predicted. The Sea state was horrendous. Three different wave directions and we rolled around like washing in the machine. Anyway, we rounded the cape all the way around in dead calm. Dead calm all the way down to Tologa bay and then we got a bit of a decent 12kt wind off the land that then decided to come round to on the nose. We expected a quick change from the SE around 6PM. It would be sort and sharp. No worries. Well at 4.30PM, this wind picks up from the SE and it was cold. Certainly a change, not some sea/land breeze. It was 12 to 14kts and I figured that this was as accurate as the wind we had around the cape...not very. Having motored for so long, we were thinking the fuel must really be getting down. We had to Motorsail from Whitianga to Tga, from Tga to the Cape, from the cape to just off Gis. So I decided if this was as bad as it will get, we need to get a move on, so up went the main, the Headsail, the Inner HS and once again being on the nose, I was pinching up as tight as I could to get around banks and rocks and make some kind of distance. Then with no warning, at 6.30PM, the wind just built. The sea grew so fast and the wind went to 25kts and at times 29kt gusts. I couldn't get the main reefed or down (long story) so I hauled in the headsail and the inner sail and went with the main. But we just were not making any ground and had to motor and punch into this stuff. Eventually I said to Dawn, I think we should head to Gisborne. We can't keep using Fuel like this and getting no where.
A real big thanks to Rigger.
He had told me he had contacts in Gisborne if I need to go in there. So I txt him and he set up who to call. Thankyou mate.
Because by the time we got half way across the bay, the weather was just wild. We broke some gear on the traveler I need to fix and getting into the port was nuts, but we made it. So now I am off to get some much needed sleep. Then we can get fuel and sort out the weather, but no rush. KM txt me and said a cyclone was on it's way. Great.
 

[wheels 543]

I don't know what it is with us and weather when we sail. I figured that now we are in port, the Cyclone will head off in another direction.

[Battgirl 23]

Wheels at least you are in a safe port in case the s hits the f. Enjoy!

[Steve Pope 243]

Don't think the cyclone will be an issue for you, the cold weather last night & today down here in Dunedin would probably be normal for mid winter, not mid summer!

Have a look at windyty, as I mentioned earlier I've found it very accurate.

[erice 732]

out of the washing machine

 

into the fire

 

 

A large blaze has broken out at the Wharf Bar and Cafe on Gisborne's waterfront. 

Firefighters are currently trying to battle the blaze which has engulfed most of the eatery.

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/75762186/fire-rips-through-gisborne-waterfront-cafe

[erice 732]

great to be able to tie-up

 

have a rest

 

and check it all again tomorrow morning

[wheels 543]

So here I was tapping away at the keys righting my "report" to you guys and in the background were all these sirens. Thought mate, Gisborne is active tonight. Then I heard a realy big engine tick past us and took a look out the window at the big Tug Tauranga move past us. Thinking how the hell is a Ship going to get in here in this Weather, i suddenly saw all the red flashing lights and Fire Trucks on the wharf behind us. And there was the Lone Star right behind us on Fire. Hey, they didn't need to put on that kind of show to welcome us.
And I am sure to some that all our Dramas must seem at times, maybe over the top, but at last we have proof via the Pic that erice has posted, stuff really happens

[AJ Oliver 154]

Glad you are safe - Looks like you may have just missed the Saturday Gisborne farmers' market. It's a very good one. 

 

[wheels 543]

Looks like Thursday will give us the next window of opportunity. Leaving around Midday so that we get to Palliser on Saturday morning, just as the weather changes to a light South east flow through the strait slowly rising during the day and behind us all the way across.
It sure was nice getting some sleep, but I feel like I need more.
Fixed what I thought I had as damage this morning. Turns out there was nothing much at all. What happened was that I swung the Boat around into the wind to drop the Main. But silly me, in all the drama and excitement, swung the wrong way and so the Boom slammed across and I thought I had damaged the Track Car and Main sheet clam cleat. But it turned out the main sheet some how came right out of the Blocks. Dawn was taking care of that end while I was getting the sail down and tied and I just yelled out to tie the mainsheet tight so it couldn't go anywhere. So after I sorted it this morning, there was just a little tweek here and there and run the sheet through the block again. Phew.