Au revoir

Kukka is leaving the marina.

At least, I assume she is. Alex is doing the rounds of customs, immigration and harbour master - again- and I have been to the market and the bakery. I've set up the starboard sea berth, the bed we'll share, but not together, for the duration of the voyage. I'm hard-boiling eggs, remembering a piece of advice Alisa from Pelagic gave me. I don't have time to cook anything else. Last night, as far as I was aware, we were not going today. But this morning we are. It's been a fraught week. The weather hasn't been playing ball, but then again, why should it?

We have a passage forecast from the NZ weather man Bob McDavitt. We have a ton of weather information saved, and we've got access en route to computer-generated weather files (gribs) and email. There's nothing dangerous out there, we believe, so while others have waited for, and been granted better weather "windows" for setting out to Australia, we think we'll be fine. Alex is calm, and clear in his mind. What else can you ask?

I now know how to post a blog while we're at sea, using Sailmail, the HF radio email service. I'll try to do that, if weather permits.

So unless you hear more from me today, we're on our way to Coffs Harbour, or perhaps Sydney or Bundaberg, if....Well, you know the story by now.

I'm nervous this time, more nervous than last time - my first time - because I know a little of what I'm letting myself in for. But I'm keen to get sailing, and Kukka is a good boat.