ARRIVED GIZO – EXHAUSTED

20 March 2025

Truce and I needed to get 130 miles across the St Georges Channel between New Ireland and Bouganville as quickly as possible.  There was a two-knot current running that would set us down to the SW.  On passing Cape St. George we had a good wind, we set off, hard on the wind, close hauled on port tack.  At this speed I only needed twenty four hours to reach the lee of Bouganville.

All went well for the first few hours, we reeled off the miles, then the wind started decreasing, our heading fell away, our speed dropped and the current had us in its clutches.  The fight was on, eventually after almost two days we made it out of the current but had lost 45 miles to the south.  My plan to get into the lee of Bouganville and sail along the coast was shattered.  There would be no rest stops and overnight anchorages on Bouganville for Truce and I.  For the next few days we struggled to get back to the north and onto track for Gizo, our clearance port for the Solomon Islands. 

We tried at every opportunity to make northing.  Each time we made a few miles to the north the wind would disappear and a squall would come along, day and night.  Then it was reefing for the squall, fast a furious sailing for a short while, drenched by the rain, then the wind would disappear and we are left stranded rolling and bucking on a washing machine sea, no wind, sail flogging and slatting, and nerves shredding. This type of sailing is hard on both man and machine, the sails and gear really take a beating.

I noticed on the chart there was a notation ‘Planet Deep’ in this area south of Bouganville, its certainly deep at over 8,000 meters.  Why it should be notified as Planet Deep I am not sure.

After five days we were clear of Bouganville Island but still south of our course to Gizo.  On our track to Gizo lay Sterling Island, a possible rest stop?  I need not have bothered thinking about it, we passed 3 miles to the south, downwind and down current. The wind was favourable, we carried on.

Eventually we made it to a position twenty miles west of Gizo where we encounterd another strong south flowing current.  Twenty four hours later after light winds, squalls and adverse current we were still in exactly the same spot.  I was so frustrated.  We were playing a cruel game of snakes and ladders with the weather Gods.  That evening we had made a few miles when the wind died, the current was setting us down onto an island and a lee shore. The only option was to bear off and lose precious miles gained.  I cracked, I could take no more.

The engine went on, Mr. Yanmar would take us the last twenty miles into Gizo where I planned to arrive at sunrise.  On the way into Gizo there are some shallow parches and reefs, nothing too challenging, there is an easy channel into the port.

As we motored towards Gizo it was flat calm, not a breath of wind, a lovely starlit night.  If I had still been sailing, with no wind, we would have been swept further south by the current.  I comforted myself that putting the engine on was the only option. 

As I was daydreaming, I suddenly noticed the depth sounder was reading 5 meters!  Immediately I put the engine into neutral and we slowed, as we slowed the depth reduced, I gave a kick astern and we stopped.  The depth now read zero, that means nothing under the keel!  I checked everything, a flashlight over the side, we should be in deep water.  Then I realised my mistake.  I was so tired and my brain so befuddled, I had been reading the wind instrument instead of the depth sounder.  As we reduced speed so the relative wind reduced to zero as we stopped.  Clearly, I had not been thinking straight.  I was very tired.

Just a couple more hours and I dropped anchor at Gizo as the sun came up.  I was exhausted.  Just time for a couple of hours sleep before getting ashore to do the clearance formalities.