Circumnavigating NZ.

[rossd 16]

Hes Heading into some solid weather soon.

[vic008 17]

Gosh, he's halfway down the SI already.

[Fish 0]

tracker link

https://www.waihekeworkingsail.org/mikes-journey/follow-mike/

Looks like he will have a typically bouncy rounding of Puysegur...

Three Day Outlook

Northwest easing everywhere Tuesday morning 35 knots. Changing Tuesday afternoon southwest 40 knots. Becoming early Wednesday northwest 50 knots, easing for a time Wednesday afternoon 40 knots. Changing Thursday southwest 30 knots. Sea high at times. Heavy southwest swell. Moderate northwest swell at times, easing Thursday.

[Jon 412]

I think his plan was to stop at Doubtful sound

tomorrow afternoon it’s going SW 30-35

if it was me I’d be thinking Milford Sound, he’s only a day off there 

[darkside 69]

Quite concerned for this guy.

By Monday evening, some large waves were already hitting the southwest of the South Island, with the biggest waves expected by Wednesday evening. By then, the significant wave height at the southwest corner of the South Island is predicted to be above 8 metres high

[Fish 0]

Predictwind and Windy are showing swell height of between 5 to 7 m, and a period of 10 - 12 secs for tomorrow and Wed. And 30 gusting 40 through until Thurs am, then again again from Friday, oh, SW, so onto a lee shore and all of that. 

I'm not familiar with that particular area, but how do you get into a Fiord when it's like that? Don't they have some shallow bar thing at the mouth? Like a pile of moraine debris?

Will be character building doing it solo.

[Fish 0]

He is still posting on the tracker

both dated today.

The wind dropped to below 20 knots for a brief time so I got up on the cabin top and dropped the main. Still a big sea running so it was like riding a bucking bronco.It’s a relief to have it down now as the wind is forecast to get up to 30+ knots tonight and it’s just too much canvas (alright dacron) up there as last night proved and I had run out of reefs. What I really need is a trysail on a separate track. That’s a great heavy weather sail. Well I don’t have one so the genoa will do the job and it’s a lot easier to make smaller. I am heading back up a bit on my course so again I can run off if things get a bit hairy.

So after getting slammed all morning by the big seas and pressed too hard by the 30knts plus wind I decided to use up some of my sea room and bear away twenty degrees. This takes the sting out of the wind and waves and is much more comfortable. The wind is forecast to ease a bit this afternoon so I may be able to make Doubtful Sound but if not it will be Milford Sound.

[Island Time 1,313]

The Southern Ocean is not to be underestimated. 

The Fiords themselves are mostly (Very) deep at the entrances, but a couple do have shallow(er) parts. There is no bar like a river mouth. I understand it is not common to have breakers across the entrances. Yes it will be less than pleasant there tomorrow...

Sails for 50+ knots would have been a basic requirement for me before departing on such a trip.

Tough time of year for this, you have to expect to get a beating at some stage.

 

[CarpeDiem 540]

18 minutes ago, Fish said:

'm not familiar with that particular area, but how do you get into a Fiord when it's like that? Don't they have some shallow bar thing at the mouth? Like a pile of moraine debris?

They are over 100m deep at the entrances. 

[Romany 163]

 There are a whole heap of more experienced people here than me, but seems to me that giving away sea room under these circumstances is a mistake, and I wonder what would be wrong with doing a 180 and running off to the N  or if he could, NW.  Surely he would gain some room?

Lee shore, big seas, 50+ ? A beating is an understatement.

Sure hope he stays ok.

[Island Time 1,313]

My opinion, for what its worth;

If it goes over 50, and with 8m seas, he wont be able to make any headway into it. At this point your options become limited, depending on the gear you have. 50 knots is not uncommon in this area, and has hopefully been planned for. 

Different designs are a little different, but; heave to, sea anchor(Para)  if needed to stay hove to, or possibly dodge (say 40 deg to wind under storm sail and usually motor, moving slowly enough to maintain headway) or turn and run, preferably with a drogue. This last loses the most distance made good. Running at speeds he will do in that boat without a drouge will be dangerous.

Skipper will have to decide - close with the coast if he considers he's far enough south to make one of the fiords, and can do so without being beam on to breakers, or maintain/extend his sea room.

At least it’s fairly short duration, moderating late tomorrow night.

[AJ Oliver 155]

A sailor's worst nightmare . . 

the sound of big waves breaking on the shore at night. 

Hope he makes it - the gent has some stones. 

[Island Time 1,313]

Off Milford this morning, running north

[Fish 0]

Post dated 15th

Well I got absolutely hammered last night with winds up to 40knts and 5 meter seas. I’ve had enough of the last two days incessant pounding on the hull, the screaming wind and the violent motion. The final straw came when I was standing in the doghouse and a giant wave completely buried the boat and nearly threw me down the companionway as we were slammed right over on our side. I have given up trying to reach Doubtful Sound and am now running directly downwind towards Milford Sound where I hope to find a safe haven.

https://www.waihekeworkingsail.org/mikes-journey/follow-mike/

Tracker says he's doing 2.9 knts @ 141 degs, but it s dated 14th.

I feel like a voyeur watching this via social media. 

[Island Time 1,313]

He’s on AIS. Shows he’s changed course and closing the coast, but on this track he won’t make Milford. Needs a bit more southing 

[B00B00 330]

I really wouldnt want to be where he is right now!

I have been hammered pretty hard outside milford sound twice, the waves bounce off the cliffs and turn it into a real washing machine. You have the southern ocean swell and the wind waves on top of each other. Not a huge amount of anchoring options once hes in there either.

I hope everything works out OK for him.

[B00B00 330]

Jackson bay might be a good option right now?

[Fogg 427]

AIS shows him roughly on course for Milford about 15nm off

[Island Time 1,313]

Thats good. At least it appears he can lay the entry. Hope he's not too beam on.  As Booboo said, the only other option is Jacksons bay...

Best wishes

[MuzzaB 14]

3 hours ago, Fish said:

 

Tracker says he's doing 2.9 knts @ 141 degs, but it s dated 14th.

 

The date follows UT (old GMT).  As I post this we are at 2335h UT so about to roll over to the 15th.

Getting that wrong was a common mistake back in the days of celestial nav.

[Edit to fix stupid stupid stupid spelling].