Landfall at Seabreak Spit, Hervey Bay, Australia about 0400. We are sailing under double reefed working genoa only to slowly approach the coast, 35 miles away. Our fancy Yanmar original equipment v-belt has lost its abiliby to hold tension after only 200 hrs service and has to be replaced. Discovered during a routine engine rook check about 0500. We have been motoring for two days, so the engine has to cool a bit before it is safe to work on. We have as a result lost our favorable tide, important here for going up the river to the Bundaberg Marina, as the tidal range is about 2 meters at the moment and ebb tidal currents in the river can be strong enough that we do not want to try to go up river on the ebb. Next flood tide starts about 5:00 this afternoon. The marina is about 10 miles from the river entrance. So,we are taking our time. No worries. All is well on board. Thanks for checking on us!

In the center of the high, most likely. May be under power to Australia. Will know more when the weather forecast comes as an email as I send this report. WE are just north of the Fraser Seamount. There, the sea floor rises from 13,000 feet to 1,200 feet in less than 6 miles. The sea is a bit agitated, even with little wind. We are more than 25 miles north of the sea mount and still likely are feeling its effect. Last 24 hrs we covered about 155 nm, for a total run of 619 nm in four days since leaving Noumea. WE have 180 nm to go. WE should have landfall in less than 24 hrs. All is well on board.

Wind shifted east and dropped to less than 10 kts overnight. wind is basically dead aft, less than 3 kts apparent. All is well on board. 346 nm to go. 353 nm made good first three days.

First two days' run 300 nm. 499 miles to go. After a quiet night, wind and swell are back up. All is well on board. Thanks for checking on us.

left Noumea 0730 Monday local time. run first 22 hrs 141 nm. fast but bouncy with swell basically abeam. steaks for dinner last night,yea Gloria! All is well on board. Thanks for checking on us.

Landfall at Isle of Pines, New Caledonia, in pre dawn. Anchor expected down early this afternoon. Our last day and have been gorgeous, reminding us of why we love the sea and sailing. Weary, looking forward to a very long sleep. All is well on board. I have discovered I submitted our positions during this passage in an incorrect format, and that the positions submitted have not been included in our postings. Will try to correct when we have Internet. Apologies to you who have been checking up on us.

Home stretch. About 140 nm from Isle of Pines. Expect sheltered waters tomorrow this time, and an anchorage or marina tomorrow night. All is well on board.

Close hauled, lumpy ride on bumpy sea. One reef in main to keep ride tolerable. Actually heading in the general direction of New Cal, for the first time in five days. about 275 nm to go. All is well on board.

Under way motorsailing at 0200. All is well on board, some damage and lost items from boarding seas while hove to. Sailing gear is fine, motor is fine. 375nm from Isle of Pines. Will shape course to 318mag as wind permits today.

hove to as front passes over. All well.

close hauled into nasty seas, getting bounced around. Wind in high teens, seas more than would be expected. Not large, but short period, confused. We have had these conditions off and on for the past two days. No seamounts shown nearby on charts,other than Kings Ridge, which is a ways behind us now. We plan to heave to later this morning to wait out the front forecast to pass this afternoon/evening. We are east of where we want to be, and so are getting westing the hard way. We expect it will make our final 380 nm into New Caledonia more pleasant. All is well on board.

All is well on board. Continuing to motor. Expect to sail west starting tomorrow, and to sit out front due Tue hove to, just hanging out. May change with changing forecasts, that's the plan of the moment. Fuel adequate. Getting warmer, very nice. No rush.

Lovely day yesterday with quiet seas. Sunrise yesterday was spectacular. Chop is recent, possibly due to local bottom topography. We look forward to it passing. Motoring. A sailing breeze is forecast for Monday, motorboat weather until then. It is a little less cold each day. It was actually warm and comfortable without a jacket yesterday, just cool overnight tonight, compared with downright cold the first night out. All is well on board.

Under power. High cloud. Beautiful day. Usual first day on passage issues dealt with. Easy now. Getting less cold, will soon be warm. All is well on board.

Sailed all night, just turned motor on at 0915. Heading for New Cal. All is well on board.

left Marsden this morning. Mostly motor sailing. Heading for New Cal. All is well on board.

Our position at Riverside Drive Marina

Arrived Whangarei Friday morning, 4/11. Nice uneventful overnight sail from Opua, about 85 miles. We are berthed at Riverside Drive Marina.

Arrived Opua Sunday evening. Last bit not so good but they are now here and will continue south to Whangarei later in the week.

grateful to have this passage done. No injuries, no damage, but very unpleasant. Last two days very difficult weather. Spent all night last night clawing 13 miles of southing. Not much fun. But, that's sailing, eh?

beating very slowly and with great difficulty down the east coast of NA, headed for Opua, 29 nm south and an eternity away. all is well on board, tired, disgusted.

all is well on board. Motor sailing, as we have been since Tuesday. Ran into strong adverse current at 30S;173.15E. Current axis basically n/s. Slowed us down 1.5-2.0 kts. Stayed in current 5 hrs hoping it would peter out. then, ran east perpendicular to axis to 173,40E and effect much diminished. Back on course of 165 mag now. Heads up to yachts heading for that 29S;173E waypoint. WE continue to expect Whangarei arrival Sunday. Time less certain now. If no wind, we may decide to clear in at Opua to assure we have sufficient fuel. Day's run of 137 nm reflects the effect of the current. We have about 325 nm to go as of 0330 Friday, our time.

all is well on board. estimate arrival Whangarei Sunday morning. 428 nm to go. we continue well fed, well rested, and in good spirits. day's run to 1700 yesterday 126 nm, due to chasing wind for 3 hours during the morning, prompted by a fresh westerly, as forecast. wind then went south westerly instead of north westerly as was expected, began petering out, and finally settled at south east, having us sailing close hauled headed north of east in 10 kts apparent. gave up and went back on the motor. it did rain, though, giving us a much needed rinsing off. swells from Tasman were long period, and well behaved, no worries.

all is well on board. beginning to feel some swell, but not much. dark night, can't see much, but boat is moving a bit more occasionally. still a two handed typing morning, though. seas have been virtually calm with a < 1 meter swell for the past day. we expect to arrive Whangarei late Sat afternoon or evening, or Opua earlier if visability or weather not good. We have about 560 nm to Marsden Cove, Whangarei. we are eating well, are well rested, spirits are good. Fuel remaining does not seem to be an issue. run through 1700 yesterday 159 nm, best of passage.

all is well on board. Motorsailing since 1800 yesterday. We had a grand sail yesterday in 15-18 kts apparent and almost flat seas. We hardened up and enjoyed the ride. Very comfortable past day and a half. Expect to arrive NZ Sunday sometime, perhaps mid day. We plan to clear in at Whangarei, but will go to Opua if weather or something else requires. Daily runs consistent between 140-145 nm/day. We seem to have found a favorable current of between .5 and 1 kt. Don't know anything about it, happy to have it. We are headed for a waypoint about 30 nm east and very slightly south of North Cape. Grib files show 2.5+ mtr swells reaching us from Tasman sometime tomorrow. Any Gulf Harbor comments on period would be appreciated.

all is well on board. Got big lift from backing wind about 1000 utc, but wind remains 15-24kts. Haven't found center of hi yet..we are pinching a little to avoid going further west.

all is well on board. Looking forward to wind shift.

all well on board. double reefed, sailing at 60 deg to apparent wind

Clearing out of Fiji at Vuda this morning.

Getting ready to leave Fiji for NZ. Expect Friday departure, subject to weather.

Launched yesterday after major repair of cyclone damage sustained during TC Winston. All is well now.

arrived and settling in. probably wondering why they came to this weather!

Went through Navula Passage at sunrise Wednesday, after heaving to in the lee of Viti Levu for a couple hours to await daylight. Spent most of the day waiting for and dealing with friendly Customs sorts, (total costs now $492 Fiji), and getting situated in a very full marina. Just now, 1845 NZDT, able to report status. Had very bad Tuesday night, with wind steady 30 gusting 40++, and 3-5+ meter confused seas regularly breaking down onto the boat as we quartered or went across the waves. Our fully enclosed center cockpit was regularly inundated. Down to reefed mizzen and quadruple reefed working genoa, still doing 8 kts on a 39 foot waterline, almost hull speed. Boat stood up well to gusts, no real problem there. We have significant clean up and repair work to do as a result of water damage from last night's waves, which found their way into places they really should not have been. On balance, a really uncomfortable, at times bordering on dangerous passage, due to sea conditions for the second half of the trip, after 3 1/2 days of motoring at the start. This was exacerbated by a steering failure in 3-4 meter breaking seas at sunset on day 4, which required an emergency heaving to so the boat was not left broadside to the breaking waves while the problem was investigated. The boat had to be left hove to for 1 1/2 days, even though the steering problem was diagnosed and repaired within a couple hours of heaving to. Overnight, sea conditions became so severe that the next day any deck work was unacceptably dangerous, precluding raising the quickly doused and hence messy sails and resuming our passage and requiring that we bear motion so violent that the only comfortable (and safe) place was in bed, until conditions settled enough after the second day and night to allow us to continue on our way. However, it all has already begun to fade to memory, and we hope to retain the positive parts of the passage and let the rest slip into the past, with lessons learned. This is the last of our reports on our passage from New Zealand to Fiji. I have not been successful in raising Taupo Marine Radio the past two days, and would appreciate GHR informing them we have arrived safely.

all is well on board. very fast, bouncy night, expect more of same until in fiji tomorrow. 165nm to go.

all Ok on board

got under way about 9:30 Sunday morning. all systems seem ok.

Hove to but at least moving in the right direction. This report from Maritme Radio

hove to, riding well. steering failure last evening, hove to for repair. problem found, solved, we think, but will not know until under way. some deck work necessary from hurried sail dousing and heaving to,seas too rough at moment to attempt. we are not in danger. no assistance is required. need winds and seas to settle before we can safely raise main and make sure works. probably will remain hove to today, based on yesterday's spot saildocs forecast. will know more after spot forecast this morning. all is well, if not especially comfortable. no worries.

wind shift about 0530, waiting for wind to fill and settle down in a direction. Once wind fills, we can shut off the faithful engine. May have to sail a bit east of route to keep wind on one side of tansom. all is well on board.

motoring still, no wind in sight. conditions comfortable, all is well on board. have been in favorable for about 12 hrs, moving right along. socks off yesterday, hooray. beef wellington dinner great, thank you Gloria.

still motoring in quiet conditions. all is well aboard. mainsail up as stabilizer. warm in cockpit yesterday, less cold last night, comfortable below.

left Marsden Cove in first wind lull of the day, about 1830. now motoring in light winds from aft. had a good first night after choppy exit seas. all is well on board.

decided to let forecast intense cold front go by overnight Sunday, and depart Monday after the excitement is over. Probably will leave sometime after noon

setting yit email on sailmail, checking it out with this report

preparing to depart NZ, finally, tomorrow, 4 Oct, for Fiji