This completes our 5th trip north/south across the Pacific in New Zealand waters. The winds for us have always been below 25 knots, so we have had a good ride across this patch of water known for catching cruisers in gale force winds and big seas. We were OK for the alcohol to celebrate the successful completion but quarantine had taken all the fresh food so the food was below Mary’s normal standard, just a delicious chocolate cake with cream to save the day. This is Giselle at sea signing off.

Position: 35°44′S 174°20′E [-35.74,174.350]

We had 5 squid on the deck yesterday morning. I believe they come up to the surface to feed at night. Shows why we caught the Mahi Mahi in the night as our lure looks exactly like one of these small squids. When they were thrown back, shearwater birds came from nowhere to gobble them up.

We have had the first go at slowing the boat down to avoid arriving too early on Sunday. Now have a pocket sized Jib but still 7 to 8 knots of boat speed. Need to try harder! Just finished writing this and was doing the deck check before transmission. We have common dolphins all around us and can just see New Zealand in the far distance.

Position: 34°00′S 173°19′E [-33.997,173.318] at 06:00 GMT+12 , GMT 18:00 4th November 24hr run: 148 miles by GPS. 149.2 miles by Log 129 miles to Whangarei, New Zealand. ETA at 5 knots: 10:24 Sun 6th November GMT+12 Time Wind: South West 17 knots Sea: SW and NE swells both 2m Sky: 50% cloud cover Air temp 17.8

We could see the larger SW swell coming before we left New Caledonia and having been pushing on to get behind North Cape to make the last bit of the voyage nice and comfortable. If you go onto link below today you should be able to observe we have got to New Zealand waters nicely on time.

http://www.passageweather.com/index.htm?http%3A//www.passageweather.com/maps/oceania/mappage.htm

If we weren’t British, we would be really excited at having such good weather all the way down. David of course is certain that it is his weather forecasting skills and course strategy. The real answer is that you can start long voyages with Giselle when many other boats have to stay in harbour. Sailing Giselle into headwinds is slower but still comfortable and she carries enough fuel to motor across oceans if there is none. We don’t make the 5 knots VMG to windward we were getting on the flat water inside the New Caledonian lagoon but normally manage 4.5 knots if the wind is up around 15 knots. VMG = velocity made good, this is the speed you are doing resolved into the speed directly into the wind. We left an Amel in Ile des Pins that was going to wait a week for a better weather window. Position: 32°09′S 171°18′E [-32.152,171.306]at 06:00 GMT+12 , 18:00 GMT 3rd November 24hr run: 134 miles by GPS. 155.8 by log. 0.9 knot current flowing NE. Found this the last two times we came to NZ as well 277 miles to Whangarei, New Zealand. ETA at 5 knots: 16:36 Sun 6th November GMT+12 Time Wind: South 5 knots Sea: SW swell 2m Sky: 70% cloud cover

We are south of 30° when lows and their fronts become an issue. We have a front coming through 3 am tomorrow. The weather files have a maximum of 18 knots and with luck it will be below 30 knots. We will probably get the Trysail out on deck to save the battle in the middle of the night should it be required. Trysail is always the best sail when the wind goes above 30 knots.

Mary had a tricky watch last night keeping the boat going in the fading wind. She nearly gave up a few times but finally had to admit defeat at 11PM and we have been motoring ever since. At midday we are due to get the beginnings of the NW wind that will lead up to the front. Past the half way milestone now. Position: 30°02′S 170°18′E [-30.037,170.3] at 06:00 GMT+12 , GMT 18:00 2nd November 24hr run: 139 miles by GPS, 141.9 by log 411 miles to Whangarei, New Zealand. ETA at 5 knots: 18:39 Sun 6th November GMT+12 Time Wind: South West 7 knots Sea: Long large SW swell Sky: 70% cloud cover. Air temp 18°C. Sea Temp 20°C.

So far we have had to motor for two short periods of less than an hour each as the wind changed a bit and went light. Last night was another great sail. For long periods around 3am we were doing over 8 knots in just 12knots of wind. The wind has stayed in the south west which has allowed us to crack off on a close reach rather than tight on the wind. Great sunrise this morning and you will know that the moon is now with us from sunset to midnight as we have reached the first quarter. Position: 27°59′S 169°05′E [-27.981,169.086]at 06:00 GMT+12 , GMT 18:00 1st November 24hr run: 150 miles by GPS, 151 miles by Log 550 miles to Whangarei, New Zealand. ETA at 5 knots: 22:24 Sunday 6th November GMT+12 Time Wind: South West 8 knots Sea: Long SE swell 2m and smaller SW swell Sky: 15% cloud cover Sea Temp: 22°C

We were expecting light winds but have had good sailing winds of 10 to 20 knots. With the change to SW we are going straight towards NZ. We were expecting small seas but as can happen there are several seas at about 2 meters out here which makes it hard for the boat to get going. We have been inside lagoons and behind the Vanuatu islands for such a time we had forgotten these delights Position: 25°48′S 167°40′E [-25.811,167.672]at 06:00 GMT+12 , GMT 18:00 31st Oct 24hr run: 105 miles by GPS, 131.6 by log (Windward) 700 miles to Whangarei, New Zealand. ETA at 5 knots: 04:19 Mon 7th November GMT+12 Time Wind: South West 20 knots Sea: Confused several swells at 2.0m Sky: 70% cloud cover lots of rain squalls about.

We upped anchor from the Iles des Pins yesterday afternoon just after lunch and have been sailing to windward up to an hour ago when a rain cloud killed the wind. Wind seems to be returning slowly. The weather forecast is for light winds mostly on the nose. Giselle goes well to windward and we took on a good bit a fuel so that we can motor a lot of the way if needed.

The tropics are behind us now but the sea temperature hasn’t dropped yet from its 24°C so it promises to be a hot day. Position: 23°58′S 167°23′E [-23.969,167.378] at 06:00 GMT+12 , GMT 18:00 30th October 805 miles to Whangarei, New Zealand. ETA at 5 knots: 01:19 Mon 7th November GMT+12 Time Wind: SE 10 knots Sea: Lumpy with several swells of 2.5m Sky: 20% cloud cover

We got up expecting to sail into 25 knots to windward to Yate. Then we noticed that the anchorage was blissfully quiet despite the strong winds blowing along the coast that we could easily see beyond the headland. Time to go up the mast and do the checks ready for the trip to New Zealand and hopefully sort a fault with the wind instruments. Done to schedule, no problems and instruments working. During the coffee after the mast work Mary suggested a walk ashore and sail further tomorrow. We are at very remote location. he nearest road is 20 miles away. The remoteness is lovely but it makes walking harder. We were optimistic when we saw deer hoof prints on the beach but we couldn’t find a path we could follow. We did find a way up an old land slide to get a great view of the bay from perhaps 150m up.

There is a deserted small village in a corner of the bay that was established for nickel mining. The people have left but the mangoes haven’t and the water supply is still intact. Lunch was a mellow white wine(Bordeaux Moelleux) with mangoes and local berries similar to raspberries. We did all our washing and filled the tanks, so now no engine running needed for the watermaker. There was even an incinerator to burn our rubbish. Sunset was red wine (Cotes de Rhone Villages) with almonds by the fire. Dinner was the last of the mahi mahi, still tasting so good. Olivia from Lifou treated us to a number of her recipes for mahi mahi while we were together at Ouvea – vanilla sauce, pepper sauce and fish pie – all very fine. I guess we should get the fishing lines out again tomorrow but no chance of mahi mahi inside the reef.

Now we are listening the to the world cup final on a French radio station. Hard to understand but the commentators sound sad and the crowd excited so we guess New Zealand are winning quite easily.

Tomorrow is an early start to get most of the way to Noumea. Position: 21°56′S 166°40′E [-21.940,166.670]

We hope we have won the fishing challenge! Our cruising companions from New Caledonia that we first met in Vanuatu are sailing to Ouvea at the same time. There is of course a rather unfair sailing race, from our point of view completely fair but Lifou remind us that we are some 10ft longer than their Beneteau Oceanis 350. The fishing competition is off a level playing field. When you catch a 5ft long Mahi Mahi (that is the fish with the big head) it would have been nice if the boat was level not going to windward. We caught the fish at 4 am with just moonlight around. I put this down to my skill of having the knot where the line is attached to the shock-cord so large that it puts some life into the lure as the knot drops in and out of the water just behind the boat. First task was to wake Mary. We tried several different places to land the fish and finally got it into the middle of the cockpit. We did put the bottom board in, though, as we have heard stories of these fish leaping around and getting down below. Its a big fish so the locals ashore are in for a treat as we can’t possibly eat it all while its fresh. The few days in Ouvea will be our last lazy and sight seeing time in New Caledonia. After that we will make our way quickly to Noumea, provision, check-out and make our way to New Zealand. ETA at Whangarei is between 10th and 20th of November depending on when the weather makes it sensible to leave. We may leave as early as 31st October.

Position: 20°48′S 166°08′E [-20.805,166.128]at 06:36 GMT+11 , BST 20:36 October 16th 19.9 miles to Ile Mouli, Ouvea Wind: East 7 knots Sea: smooth with SE swell 0.5m Sea and air temp 26°C Sky: 5% cloud cover

This was the first place Cook saw in New Caledonia and it does indeed look like Scotland. Just have to avoid concentrating on the mangrove swamps and keep admiring the hills! The anchorage is behind the reefs and was amazingly quiet. It was here that much of the early European interaction took place. After Cook came Entrecasteaux and then Kermadec in 1783 who died of a tropical decease and is buried on the island. Catholic Mission followed in 1843 and the French claimed New Caledonia here in 1853. May be we got the same reception as Cook! There were three younger men on the beach waving big arm movements and so we detoured to go ashore there. They were about to BBQ some small fish they had caught. We said we wanted to go up the river to the church so one of them waded out until he could see the correct entrance to use for the river that winds through the mangroves.

This September the Kanaks put up a monument to note that they had been under French control for some 150 years. This is close to the church and beside the monument put up by the colonials marking the claim of NC for France. There were other reminders of the tension that still exists. An excellent bridge had been built recently over a river to replace an Army style single track emergency bridge. It was finished complete with tarmac and then stones placed to ensure it wasn’t used. Likewise a new market facility with roof and tiled benches – unused. Market is advertised as Saturdays and we duly arrived in time. When we asked, “Was there a market”. Non. The body language was “and why do want to know anyway”!

Enjoying some great sailing inside the coral reef. Water is flat and you make fast progress even to windward.

Position of Ile Poudioue where Cook viewed the Eclipse: 20°17′S 164°29′E [-20.287,164.491]