24 October 2015

(watch 10.00 - 14.00)
GPS Coordinates S1103.672 / E16248.582
Day 5 at sea.

Fortunately for me I have been given a full nights sleep, my shift isn't till 10.00 o'clock tomorrow morning. However, this didn't stop me waking up at 1.30 am. Emerging onto deck I discovered that we've finally turned straight West, 270 degrees and have begun our drift down to PNG. This marks the halfway point in our voyage, perhaps not on paper but certainly mentally, we're headed in the right direction.

The jib is now flying on the starboard side and according to the weather chart the wind is set to improve over the next few days. It hasn't yet reached full moon, but it's the main source of light on deck. Illuminating the ocean below and the clouds above. We have seen another boat since our first day at sea, we're the only spectators of an awesome sight in the heavens above.

San Cristobal, one of the Solomon Islands, is visible on the horizon this morning. I thought I could make out Guadalcanal in the very distance but couldn't be sure, maybe that's wishful thinking. This is as close as I'll get this expedition, I guess I'll have to save that for another adventure. We'll be passing Rennell Island on our port side at some point.

Now on the straight and narrow down to Alotau.  It's 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Our heading is 255 degrees and our GPS position is S1116.320 / E16155.326. Menno reckons we've broken the 700 mile countdown mark and he's just been confirmed that there's 680 miles to go.

It's been another hot day out on the ocean, I've managed to sun burn my forehead. We haven't seen another boat for the last 4 days. The Police weren't lying when the sang "More loneliness than any man could bear" in their song 'Message in a Bottle'. Still I suppose this voyage is good preparation for the 1700 mile crossing from Papua New Guinea to the Philippines. It think we're in PNG for exactly a month, from the 5th of November till the 5th December.