FINISHED IN AUCKLAND!

HURRAY

Early Monday morning, though it was Sunday 23:00 gmt, I Finished the Austral Winter II Sailing Race in the Auckland harbour. 

Celebrations however kept me from  entering this post till  now. 

The last stretch offered still some challenging winds as the course was after the last gate towards the South-West while the wind had veered as well to the South West. But than that is not only for me, but for all the boats I am sailing with. 

The last stretch , I must done something better than some of the other participating boats as it saw me climbing from 123 to the 119th spot on the finishing list.

This was a nice, challenging and interesting race. Due to some circumstances I had some 4-5 days that I could minimal attend to the boat and set the autopilot twice a day, that have for sure robbed me of a better classification. 

Sailing around the North_East Cape of New Zealand

Rounded the North-East Cape properly!


As will all capes, I keep a proper distance as to be sure that I sail free from the rocks, as I am scared always for those undiscovered rocks. 


After sailing through the Cook Strait, yesterday, no time to make any visits as the race is still on-goiong. The sailing along the East coast of Northern island went smooth in nice strong breeze. 


Now the sailing is west toward Great Barrier Island, with the Auckland Finish as a target. 


The winds are still very nice, southerly and just below 10 kts. I will try to make as much miles as possible, as the wind forecast tells me that the winds towards the west are weaker and also start veering into the SW; as you guessed it, just the direction I have to sail towards the Finish!

Again sailing the Cook Strait.

After a sailing route around Tasmania, I am back in Cook Strait again. 


A serious matter in our Family, kept me away from the blog for the last 5 days. Now I try to pick up my blog again and hopefully can complete this sailing race report till the Finish in Auckland.


The sailing around Tasmania, started in good strong Southerly winds, but once turned around the SW point, the winds died out. In very calm and variable winds we were sailing the Western coast, where boats sailing a more western route had the benefit of somewhat stronger winds at times. After sailing the SE coast of Australia, we came in a NE head wind towards Sydney. 


After Sydney the winds became stronger again and a swift approach to NZ resulted. 
Cook Straits was not that difficult as winds were  westerly at the entrance, but turned to south making us to make a couple of tacks to pass it. 


Now sailing East of Wellington already in mostly SW winds that give a nice approach to the NE gate. 

Turning around Tasmania

Overnight I validated the Tasmania gate and turned heading NW to the next gate at King Island.

Yesterday saw a good wind that back slowly allowing me to  turn more South towards the gate. The  turn NW that I made the day before with the intention to benefit towards the gate, proved a good one and I could pass several boats to reach the rank of 44 this morning. 


Now the winds are swopping from East to South and later will turn over North till the East again by tomorrow, that is if the wind forecasts are correct. 
The wind has also calmed down and close under the coast, where I am sailing now, even more than the forecasts had indicated. So I am in for a quiet 24 hrs and fear that some boats behind can still find the stronger winds in the West. Whether these boats still can pass me to the gate in the expected easterly winds is another matter. 

HOBART in the Passing

This LiveSkipper Austral Winter II Sailing Race has only a Gate at Tasmania, so there is no time to visit Hobart, the legendary sailing city. 

The winds yesterday and today are nice strong and from the South,giving a good angle tosail with the Spinnaker full of air and allows to make a good progress. 
The winds today are turning most to the eastern side, so while anticipating this, I sailed a little north to enjoy the stronger winds upthere. After the necessary gybe in this backing winds, I will again have a good approach angle for the Tasmania Gate on the South side of the Island. 

Target for today is the validation of this gate and afterwards have to turn North to encircle the island and return to New-Zealand.

Rank:56  this morning . 

Leaving NEW-ZEALAND

Now I am sailing out of the New-Zealand waters heading to Tasmania, Australia.

After passing the Dunedin gate, the winds stayed nice and I could make a good progress towards the South point of NZ. A review on how to sail, close to the South Island and passing the city of Bluff, or sailing more to the South around the Stewart island. 
Winds in the South were stronger and my review showed a better progress that way. 

Indeed I have closed the gap to some boats that sailed the "Bluff route" and were further ahead of me yesterday.

My rank this morning:62 in a fleet of 742 boats

Dunedin Gate

As I amd writing this post,I am about the pass Gate#1 Dunedin.  

The Easterly route that I and many others choose, was indeed the better one to reach Dunedin as first. The winds were indeed stronger as some weather systems with calm winds were haning close to the Coast and at Christchurch. 

Passing Christchurch, one has to think on the terrible earhquakes that hit the city this year and caused some casualties and davastating damage.


My rank this morning 114.