Diverting to Norfolk Island

A short detour...

Day 5 brought the expected trough, with some rain and wind shifting from 290/20-25 kts in the morning to 160/15 kts by the afternoon. The forecasts had been pretty accurate.

By 2100, with a strong SE'ly and seas building the decision had been made: lets head for Norfolk Island.

Yes, it was 200 nm North of the rhumb line, but only about 100 nm North of our course if we continued to beat into the existing conditions. Existing conditions, and forecast to remain so for the next 48 hrs. It was an easy decision to make.

Norfolk Island

Freeing off to a beam reach for Norfolk at about 8.5 kts, we'd be there late the next day. Maybe two nights there to get the starboard steering chain fixed (and the port one checked)? Oh, and a run ashore for the crew for some R&R. Decision made - let's do it.

Just have to ask the shore team to find out a bit more detail about possible landing sites.

I hear it can be a bit of a bitch...