Well, what started out as a good day yesterday, ended up an even better day! Just after sunup we had a big pod of Spotted Dolphins join us for well over half an hour. It was fantastic to watch them swimming along with us at the bow and alongside, leaping out of the water and generally looking like they were having fun. They always give you a good feeling.
The prediction for the winds to strengthen slightly and come further east did not happen. The winds stayed light, the seas almost completely flattened out, and with hardly any swell to bother us we started to make good time. Our hopes to reach the Hole in the Wall seemed attainable. These conditions continued for the whole day under mostly sunny skies.
Early in the afternoon we had our first flyover from Australian Customs and Border Control. They sounded very nice as they took our details, visiting five yachts in the vicinity. They assured us that so long as we did not go ashore or visit any of the other yachts while at anchor we would be able to delay our official check-in procedures until Monday morning. This will allow us to avoid paying the $288 overtime fee on top of the $330 fee we will pay to AQIS for quarantine clearance. Our plan is to anchor just south of the entrance to the Hole in the Wall tonight and then pass through the Hole tomorrow morning just on the top of the flood tide. We will then continue to Gove where we will stay at anchor with getting off the boat until clearance on Monday.
The Hole in the Wall or Gugari Rip is the strait between Guluwuru and Raragala Islands in the Wessel Island group. It is about 1.5 NM in length and less than a mile wide. The tide can travel through there at up to 12 knots. It is best to do the transit on the slackening tide so you can enjoy the scenery and also maintain control of the boat. We have not done this pass before so are looking forward to it.
Today looks set to be another beautiful day. We managed to do another 133 NM on our third day and now have less than 45 NM to get to our anchorage.
Position: 10 55.02 S, 135 56.35 E
Track us at http://www.pangolin.co.nz/xtras/yotreps/tracker.php?ident=VMQ8796
The prediction for the winds to strengthen slightly and come further east did not happen. The winds stayed light, the seas almost completely flattened out, and with hardly any swell to bother us we started to make good time. Our hopes to reach the Hole in the Wall seemed attainable. These conditions continued for the whole day under mostly sunny skies.
Early in the afternoon we had our first flyover from Australian Customs and Border Control. They sounded very nice as they took our details, visiting five yachts in the vicinity. They assured us that so long as we did not go ashore or visit any of the other yachts while at anchor we would be able to delay our official check-in procedures until Monday morning. This will allow us to avoid paying the $288 overtime fee on top of the $330 fee we will pay to AQIS for quarantine clearance. Our plan is to anchor just south of the entrance to the Hole in the Wall tonight and then pass through the Hole tomorrow morning just on the top of the flood tide. We will then continue to Gove where we will stay at anchor with getting off the boat until clearance on Monday.
The Hole in the Wall or Gugari Rip is the strait between Guluwuru and Raragala Islands in the Wessel Island group. It is about 1.5 NM in length and less than a mile wide. The tide can travel through there at up to 12 knots. It is best to do the transit on the slackening tide so you can enjoy the scenery and also maintain control of the boat. We have not done this pass before so are looking forward to it.
Today looks set to be another beautiful day. We managed to do another 133 NM on our third day and now have less than 45 NM to get to our anchorage.
Position: 10 55.02 S, 135 56.35 E
Track us at http://www.pangolin.co.nz/xtras/yotreps/tracker.php?ident=VMQ8796
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