After motoring for 52 hours with light winds, we turned off the engine yesterday morning when the wind came round to the west. We had arrived at the Bashi Channel and with wind and 2.5 knots of current with us were doing over 9 knots towards our destination, Hua Lien, about two thirds up the east coast of Taiwan. The wind picked up and came further to the NW then died for a short period before deciding it was about time we had some more northerlies! At 8-10 knots we were able to continue motoring into the wind but then they decided to turn it up and before long it was 10-15 and gusting stronger. It was getting pretty uncomfortable and when we were about 9 nautical miles SE of Green Island, we decided to seek shelter. It was a long nine miles as the wind gusted up to and over 30 knots but we finally arrived just before 9:00 p.m. and using radar and our charts were able to edge in to the SW facing bay and anchor in about 19 metres of water over coral, 22 deg 38.520E 121 deg 28.647E. Not ideal but at least we felt safe. We were both tired after our third day on passage and glad to be able to relax a bit.
After we had a cup of tea and were getting ready for sleep we saw lights off the back of the boat and thought it was a fishing boat coming in. On investigating, it was a coast guard vessel which had been anchored not far away. They shone bright lights on us, made no contact and then went across to where Alishan were anchored and did the same thing. Then they left and re-anchored. They left some time during the night.
Now we are not sure what to do. The weather files all seem to conflict, gribs show strong northerlies starting Monday - did they come early? Who knows. We will sit out today and then make a decision about when to go the further 80 NM to Hua Lien.
After we had a cup of tea and were getting ready for sleep we saw lights off the back of the boat and thought it was a fishing boat coming in. On investigating, it was a coast guard vessel which had been anchored not far away. They shone bright lights on us, made no contact and then went across to where Alishan were anchored and did the same thing. Then they left and re-anchored. They left some time during the night.
Now we are not sure what to do. The weather files all seem to conflict, gribs show strong northerlies starting Monday - did they come early? Who knows. We will sit out today and then make a decision about when to go the further 80 NM to Hua Lien.
