MICKY HAS A SCREW LOOSE – CHANGE OF DESTINATION

8 June 2023

After thinking about the windvane problem for a couple of hours I have decided to divert up to Noumea in New Caledonia.  Its only three days away and with more favorable winds than the route to Australia.  I felt that Mickey may not survive the longer crossing to Australia with stronger winds and quartering seas.  There is no point in risking the longer crossing to Australia, if the windvane were to fail the sailing would be miserable and I don’t want to be miserable. The route to Noumea should put less strain on the windvane.

When I get Mickey fixed in Noumea it’s a shorter hop across to Australia.  Noumea will also be a good place to stop and break up the trip anyway.  So with the decision made we altered course to the north and with a steady wind we should be in Noumea on the 8^th June. 

The first day towards Noumea the weather turned it on, strong southerly gusts saw us reduced to three reefs in the main, staysail and furled yankee and still making over six knots.  The wind continued to increase and we ended up with just a triple reefed main and half furled staysail to keep the speed down and find a comfort level at around five and a half knots.  By early morning normal service has resumed and we increased sail to get a bit of speed to counter the rolling, the swell was now four meters from the south, but it was the rough sea that caused us to squirm around uncomfortably at times.

Gradually the seas eased and the wind turned more southerly.  I poled out the yankee to port and the triple reefed mainsail to starboard.  Our classic downwind rig, we always seem to be able to get into a groove with this set up and once rigged its easy relaxed sailing. Good to be sailing downwind although a bit rolly and wet on deck now and then. 

Around midnight we took an awkward cross sea and Mickey took a knock.  I think it was a combination of spray from the wave hitting the windvane sail and the rudder slamming over in the opposite direction.  I noticed that the set screws were slipping on the shaft again.  Nothing much I could do to help, slowing down would make it worse so we kept driving on. 

The 7^th June was good sailing in southerly winds varying between four and twenty knots, quire a few rain clouds and small squalls, the sailing was good and we made ground towards the destination, Passes de Boulari.  By midnight we were eighteen miles from Amedee Light which was visible. 

By two thirty on the 8^th June, with the engine on and light winds we passed between the reefs in Passe Nord, the reefs were close by either side but I didn’t see them, we were mid channel directly on the excellent leading lights of Amedee lighthouse.   By five in the morning we were anchored in the Baie des Citrons awaiting to move around to Port Moselle later to complete our inward clearance.

The ladies at Port Moselle Marina were most helpful and instructed me how to find immigration to start my inward clearance. First a walk to the office (in the hot sun) to do the paperwork. Then back to the marina to complete the customs paperwork. Then down to Truce with the biosecurity lady who happily confiscated all the vegetable matter on board. It all took a couple of hours.

My next task is to find a workshop that can repair the windvane. If I can find a shop today I could be good to move on by the weekend. Otherwise I may be loafing around Noumea for a few more days.