Headed to a new place

Wed Jun 28 2023 02:24:00 GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)

17 14.111s 173 40.597w

We left Vava’u early this morning and are headed to Niuatoputapa an island in the Niuas group. Still in Tonga. We spent a lovely time in Vava’u, but it was clearly time to move on. We were in a rut. Friends suggested the winds looked good for a jump north before heading to Fiji. As we left Vava’u our convoy of two, became a convoy of four as two other boats left with us.

We are sailing upwind, fairly close hauled, 55-60 degrees off the wind. Winds are very steady, 18-23 kts all day and all evening. Seas not too big or too lumpy. Just the general discomfort of an upwind sail, boat heeled. Full sails up making 6-7 kts. We’d be making better speed, but we didn’t clean our hull before leaving, and growth on the hull adds drag in the water and slows you down.

Nothing terribly exiting which is good. Put out a fishing line with no luck. It is a lovely night with a bright moon and spotty cloud cover.

~ Karri