On Passage to Oz Day 5 The wind came

Malua's position 28 31.965S 156 43.785E at 08:00 on 1/11/2014 220nm to go

The wind finally came at midnight Friday. A bit after the forecast but I must be off their forecast area. I soon had the main up with one reef and the staysail flying. With glee I turned the key on the engine and the noise stopped. It was an strange feeling to glide through the water with only the sound of Malua and the waves outside. The sea was not the best as it was from the north on Malua's beam so we bounced around quite a lot. No waves over the side but I had to move far down into the trotter locker of my quarter berth to find a snug position that I was not rolling from side to side but that was why I made the berth almost 8 feet long. I was soon relaxed and watching the miles fade away.

I have a decision to make: follow the direct line to Coffs Harbour or go for a position 20 nm off the coast so when the southerly comes through I can tack towards the land and make the harbour entrance. At the moment (Saturday morning) I am heading for the waypoint off the coast but I will listen to the NSW weather forecast at 10:30 am today from BOM to establish their forecast for the Southerly change, its wind strength and direction. The next decision will be if I can make it into the harbour before dark. The quarter moon is up until almost 2:00 am so I will have the light of the moon and I do know that the loom from the town lights will help me see the breakwater and Mutton Bird Island. I wonder if Coffs Harbour Marine Rescue actually listen to the HF radio. If they are anything like the crew at Batemans Bay that technology is well beyond their competence so you have to use the VHF.

Not much happened yesterday on Malua. Almost finished the biography of Moitessier. I had forgotten that he sailed a number of times to Suvorov from Papeete to spend time with John Neal (an Island to Oneself) and that he tried to start a garden on the Tuamotu atoll of Ate. He left Polynesia disillusioned by the lack of drive of the locals to improve their conditions.

I can almost smell the land.

A Magical Moment on Malua
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At 10/30/2014 10:03 PM (utc) our position was 28°43.45'S 156°25.87'E