It’s a dark night. No moon, just stars in the sky. Not even any glow from distant towns. On board we only have the navigation lights on and one dim cabin light to preserve our night vision.
Only two on deck, Dino and Phil, the others are sleeping. We made extra bunks by tying lee cloths on the saloon lounges so the crew don’t fall out of bed.
We’re now inside the Great Barrier Reef and protected from the ocean swells. There was no wind overnight and the sea is now calm. It’s like sailing on Port Phillip bay. A gentle breeze of 7 to 10 knots has come in from the west, so we have set the jib to increase our speed. The current is against us again so we’re excited to have some favourable wind to assist us.
We had dinner before dark. Catherine prepared the meals as individual servings and yesterday Kylie heated them up in the oven. The daily routine is to light the oven at 4:30pm and eat at 5:30pm while it is still light. The boat doesn’t stop for dinner though; Colin was on watch and at the helm. Lawry did the dishes and then we settled in for the night. Anyone on deck at night must “clip on” with their safety tether, an additional safety precaution to avoid losing someone overboard.
Phil checked the navigation for the night. He has routine “scheds” with Paul on Carpe Diem at 9:00pm and 9:00am to discuss our progress.
The sun comes up at around 6:00am. But for the crew who started their watch at 3:00am, it’s time for bed.
Debonnaire 