Alita's passage - Part 2

The wind has turned to the southeast and picked up a bit, as predicted.
We are sailing at good speed, heading to a point Northwest of Raoul island in the Kermadec group, where we'll slowly turn more northerly. We are "banking" some East, in preparation for the forcasted wind changes.
All good aboard.

Position at 05:30am NZST

32°02'S 178°04'E
COG 045
SOG 7,6kn

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Moonlight Serenade

With the moon lighting our way and stars impressively decorating the sky around us and sometimes falling down we're flying 3900m high above the ground. While I wonder what the rocky world beneath us looks like I do enjoy looking at the little rock like formations called waves in the water. They are coming from different directions and have different destinations and when they meet they create some bouncy formations reminding us we're not really flying or driving on a street but sailing the open ocean. Not many other living species out here above the sea other than another sailboat which follows us in a safe distance - although we seem to slowly be loosing them. They sail about 3,5nm south east from us but are headed towards SavuSavu (Fiji). They have been with us ever since we left the bay of Islands and somehow manage to do all the course and speed changes with us because I can see them always at the same spot. Good to know we're not alone out here. There should also be a Catamaran a couple of miles behind us heading to Minerva as well. Today we had a cargo ship heading straight for us so we radioed to agree on a passing side. I took a picture of the screen which shows us two sailboats and the cargo ship in one spot appearing to hit each other - in the middle of this huge ocean....So all is well, we're well up enjoying my pre-cooked meals, fruits, salads, chocolate and anything else that keeps the mood up on a crossing. As always my favourite times and shifts are sunrise, sunset and a starry night with lots of sparkles to both sides of Alita from fluorescent algea.
Marcus will send the daily position report to our blogs and the friends following our trip.

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Alita on passage

First morning at sea. Sea is calm, light breeze from the south, all is good.
We are motor-sailing since 9pm last night, but it looks like we can switch the engine off soon.

Position at 07:30am NZST

33°49'S 176°06'E
COG 045
SOG 6,9kn

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Bye my big love New Zealand

We're cleared out, fuelled up and already on our way after a wonderful goon-bye dinner on Alita with our friends from SY Kupere. It won't be long until we see them again in Tongatapu, but it will be long until we will come back to NZ. I loved every second im this beautiful country with these lovely people and I am already missing it. But, lots of adventure lying ahead of us and I am really looking forward to Tonga again. It's been almost 3 years...
And it's been 5 years (4 years and 11 months to ne exact) since Marcus and I left the Canaries to sail to Cape Verde. The only passage in all those years that we sailed alone. And now we'll sail this one alone, but we're used to that from sailing around NZ and other inter-island legs. As much as I like guests on this trip I don't mind not having to worry about someone else on a passage. I know we're fine.
We promise to stay away from Cyclone Donna. We'll head out a bit more to the east in the beginning. We just most likely will encounter the swell of up to 4m (12ft). Most cruisers cancelled their trip up, but one left yesterday and a 40ft catamaran will be right behind us, so we're 3 out there...Pls pray for us for a safe passage. I'll keep you updated

Bread

Oh boy, mission completed. 45kg (100lbs) of rye flour / dark rye sourdough for breadmaking vacuumed and stored away. That should last a while for the two of us.
Well, I am storing the most important stuff that I know I won't be able to buy or only at high prices in the next 1 year. Yes, it'll be a year until we can restock - in Hawaii. So I have to be very conservative in using up my stock, just a little a time to be able to enjoy the special food once in a while.
We will be doing ok in Tonga, especially with lots of fresh veggies and hopefully fish. But once we leave Tonga there is nothing until Hawaii. That'll be a long half year....And before that, in Tonga, I'll pickle and conserve veggies for later use...

Tomorrow we're up for our last shopping and organizing round. It looks like a weather window starts opening friday so that our plan right now is to leave Saturday for Minerva Reef. I hope we don't get stuck there for two weeks, but it might happen. The problem is we have to be in Tongatapu on May 28 and the risk is high we won't make it up there if we don't go now.
At least we're prepared. We'll get our repaired sails on friday, everything else is ok and food stored. Keep the fingers crossed that all remains calm.

Foggy morning im Opua

Taken two days ago

Russel

Found a new hike in Russel today once it stopped raining and blowing cats out of trees 🌲... So beautiful have to do it again and finish it all the way to the end.

Drawings

It was time for a change so I sat down and made two drawings of pictures I took. I then put these drawings in plastic envelopes to protect them and hung them up.

Too funny

Found at a store