Night Watch

As usual, I am way behind on my posts, but I am going to skip ahead for this one. We are currently enroute from Whangaroa to Queen Charlotte Sound on the South Island via the North Cape, Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island and then down the Tasman Sea to Cook Straight. A distance of roughly 490 nautical miles – about 2.5 days for us. Lots to show and tell about that, but will reserve it for a later post.

Last night, Deb stood the 2100 to 2400 watch, Joe stood the 2400 to 0300 watch and I came on at 0300. As is my habit, I came up about 10 minutes early to get a fix on things before Joe went off. While I was going over things at the helm – temperatures, pressures, RPM, speed, COG, position, wind, seas, barometer and the radars for traffic, Joe and I engaged in some small talk while he filled me in on the goings on during his watch. One ship passed off to port but he never saw them. Log entry had been made and the engine room check completed just before I came up. Joe was kind enough to brew up a big mug of Earl Grey tea for me while we chatted and then he was off to bed.

Shortly after 0300, it was just me and Iron Lady while the crew slept. The terrible Tasman must have been duly satisfied with our respect for her and, along with a 1030 millibar high was showing us her kinder and gentler side. A 2 meter plus ground swell from deep in the Southern Ocean was running and the winds had gone northerly at a benign 8 knots. For all intents and purposes, flat calm. A waning moon lit up the sky and sea.

Iron Lady was steaming along smartly at about 10 knots. Her big John Deere was turning a mere 1740 RPM and burning about 16 liters of fuel an hour. Not many boats can claim those kind of numbers.

All in all, it was one of those magical times and one of the many reasons we are glad we came this way.