Southern Ocean/Tasman Sea

Wednesday 7am Bruce and Simon went over to a neighbouring boat, a beautiful expedition boat anchored in the same bay to confirm there was perhaps a weather window we could take to get us up to the Sounds. If we didn’t take this opportunity, the next weather window looked to be about a week away. And this is the Roaring Forties, a serious ocean crossing passage.

9am and ready to go to traverse the Southern Ocean/Tasman Sea.  Winds turning south, front coming midday, no real strong band of wind.

Wind going from NW to southerly, wave height 4m - dropping to 2,3 m swells.

Cold, drizzly, uncomfortable motoring. 3 hours down the coast of Stewart Island before heading out to open waters. Wind in the SE turning easterly.  40knot squalls gusting. Windy and Predict Wind seem to consistently play down the wind strength.

Latitude 47 …. 2 crew down with sea sickness, conditions hideous! Big swells, cold, grey skies, unpleasant to say the least.  Set up our night watch system, 2 hours on, 4 hours off. Motoring. Placed wheaty bags in the microwave to keep us warm while on watch. 

Managed to get a mushroom soup heated on the stove as a late lunch. Very difficult in the galley. 6pm seas calming, wind dropping to 15 knots.  Passed Salander Islands, 2 small islands between Stewart and mainland South Island.  No navigational lights on them, rising steeply from the sea.

Looking over the port bow … open sea until you reach the Antarctic. 

Making good time, at 3am decided to ease the motoring to stand off from the entrance to Dusky Sounds to make a safe, dawn approach. 

Talked on the VHF with Mary of Bluff Fisherman’s radio Channel 01.  Great service, all the fishing boats report in daily, plus an up to date weather forecast at 5.30pm.  We will check in with her nightly at 8.3pm.