Barry Crocker

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Yesterday definitely was a bit of a shocker! I don't know what was worse – the 30+ knot winds, pouring rain, the endless stream of fishing boats, the contrary current, long lines, or the headwinds that seemed determined to push us back to where we started. It was a challenging combination, to say the least.

The current was particularly tricky. Depending on our tack, it would either shave off a couple of knots from our speed or push us significantly off course, sometimes by as much as 30 degrees. With the low visibility, it was difficult to determine if all the fishing boats were equipped with AIS as we couldn't see them, but the long lines and buoys certainly weren't, making for a few tense encounters as they materialized out of the rain and from behind waves.

Our best tack saw us heading north until we were close to the coast, where we tacked in just 10 meters of water. After tacking, it was a case of seeing which way the current was going to let us head, which ended up being southwest so not ideal. We were somewhat at the mercy of the wind and current, but thankfully, overnight the wind shifted to the northwest, allowing us to follow it around and make some progress west.

The forecast predicts westerlies, and we currently have northwesterlies, so we're not sure what to expect today. We anticipate more tacking and a northerly course later. The strong currents in this area, which can reach over 2 knots at times, add another layer of tacitcs to our navigation, but we're keeping a close eye on things and adjusting our strategy as needed.

I have to admit, I'm feeling a little envious of my good friend Gary, a skipper extraordinaire who's currently heading the opposite way on a 60ft Granocean power catamaran. His reports of "poor weather" just mean he has to ease back on the RPMs a little to make the ride more comfortable, all while sitting in a captain's chair in air-conditioned comfort in the pilot house. If I have my way his next delivery is going to be an H28 to Hobart.





Location: Arafura Sea

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